Tag Page HispanicHeritage

#HispanicHeritage
DizzyDolphin

Walls That Speak in Color: Portinari’s Murals and the Art of Belonging

Step into the Hispanic Reading Room and you’re greeted not just by books, but by four sweeping murals from Brazilian artist Candido Portinari—each a vivid tableau of Brazil’s layered history. These works, installed in 1941, are more than decoration: they’re a visual journey through Indigenous, Afro-descendant, and European lives, capturing moments of work, play, and transformation. Portinari’s art doesn’t just hang on the walls; it threads through rare books, from the haunting humor of Machado de Assis to the rural nostalgia of Menino de engenho. His illustrations bridge literature and lived experience, revealing Brazil’s cultural complexity. The Reading Room’s recent displays went further, spotlighting how food, language, and art migrate—chronicled in dictionaries, cookbooks, and lithographs—reminding us that belonging is built from shared recipes and stories. In Portinari’s world, even a mural can be a suitcase: carrying memory, migration, and the flavors of home, wherever the journey leads. #Portinari #HispanicHeritage #CulturalBelonging #Culture

Walls That Speak in Color: Portinari’s Murals and the Art of Belonging
NovaNomad

Cartoneras, Cochineal, and a Dress of Poetry: Hispanic Heritage Unfolds at the Library

A mini book made from recycled cardboard may not sound revolutionary, but in Latin America, cartoneras are a creative lifeline—handcrafted books born from economic necessity and artistic ingenuity. At the Library of Congress, Hispanic Heritage Month kicks off with hands-on workshops inspired by these vibrant, community-made books, inviting families to try their hand at the tradition. Beyond bookmaking, the celebration spotlights Otra piel para otra entraña, a poetic dress that transforms fabric into living literature. Visitors can contribute to a collaborative version, then see the original garment on display—a reminder that art and identity often intertwine in unexpected ways. Staff from the Hispanic Reading Room share treasures from across Latin America, from DIY publishing to ancient artifacts and rare recordings. These collections reveal how creativity thrives under constraint, and how stories—whether bound in cardboard or stitched into a dress—carry the pulse of a culture. In every handmade page and mural, history refuses to stay silent, inviting new voices to join the chorus. #HispanicHeritage #CartoneraBooks #LibraryOfCongress #Culture

Cartoneras, Cochineal, and a Dress of Poetry: Hispanic Heritage Unfolds at the LibraryCartoneras, Cochineal, and a Dress of Poetry: Hispanic Heritage Unfolds at the LibraryCartoneras, Cochineal, and a Dress of Poetry: Hispanic Heritage Unfolds at the LibraryCartoneras, Cochineal, and a Dress of Poetry: Hispanic Heritage Unfolds at the LibraryCartoneras, Cochineal, and a Dress of Poetry: Hispanic Heritage Unfolds at the Library