Acción Latina partnered with SFMOMA to bring 8,000 people to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art during the free community day for the opening of the Diego Rivera’s America exhibition on Sunday, July 17. The sounds of the Mission reverberated throughout the museum, embodying Rivera’s call for cultural solidarity originally depicted in his Pan American Unity Mural in 1940. “Today, it feels like la Misión is at SFMOMA, like we brought the neighborhood here with us,” said Acción Latina Executive Director Fátima Ramírez.
Visitors from San Francisco’s Mission district and throughout the Bay Area were welcomed by lowriders showcased by the SF Lowrider Council on the Third Street entrance and a Mission Mercado featuring half a dozen local artist vendors along Howard Street.
On the first floor, a vibrant lineup of Latinx artists brought Diego Rivera’s Panamerican Unity Mural to life in the Roberts Family Gallery. Masked crowds witnessed a dynamic story told from a San Francisco Latinx perspective beginning with ceremonial pre-Hispanic Aztec dancing by Danza Azteca Mixcoatl Anahuac, followed by Grupo Jaranero Yucatán, then a contemporary hip-hop performance by Carlos Aguirre aka “Emcee Infinite,” a satirical comedy sketch by Edna Mira Raia, and an energetic dance and musical performance by eclectic local band Inti Batey.
This special day also featured a community screening of the Emmy-award-winning documentary “Moving a Masterpiece” and a live performance of the Mission Muralismo Audio Zine including readings by Mission poets Olivia Peña and Josiah Luis Alderete.
The day culminated with a broche de oro headliner performance by La Doña on the fourth floor of the museum, which also featured a dynamic digital mural installation by Lauren Rose D’Amato and Derek Holguin.
Diego Rivera’s America will be on view until January 2, 2023. Catch the next upcoming special performance for this exhibition during SFMOMA’s Free Thursdays: Una Tarde con The Great Tortilla Conspiracy on August 4 from 3:30 – 7:30 PM at the Howard Street Entrance. Learn more at sfmoma.org.
