The Good, the Evil, and the Funny: Ritual & Mask Dance of Latin America

On display in the Down Jersey Folklife Center at WheatonArts, explore artworks that visualize stories, legends, and beliefs through decorative masks, costumes, dances, miniatures, and more from the rich cultural heritage of our region’s Latin American communities. The ritual masks of human heroes and villains, gods, angels and demons, animals and mythical creatures provide Latin American communities with metaphorical means of visualizing the transcendent and beliefs in magical transformation – by which humans can define elements of chaos and reconfirm order – “the Good” wins the battle with “the Evil.” Some masks are created to be funny and used to narrate everyday stories. Other artworks showcase the artistic evolution of technique, color, and materials, as is evident in the masks created by the internationally known artists Gustavo Boada from Peru and Rafael Jiménez from Mexico. Discover their comparative perspectives of ritual and celebratory uses, as well as an interpretation of symbolism, aesthetics, and complex meanings that can only be truly understood in a cultural context. Learn more and plan your visit at wheatonarts.org.