By Caelin Grambau, University of Pittsburgh English Writing & Spanish double major
This September, the Latin American Cultural Center (LACC) and the Latin American Studies Association (LASA) will host their Fundraising Gala “Arte y Cultura” as a celebration of their new exhibition, Mexican Masks. The Gala will be hosted by the LACC’s Assistant Director and Curator, Sandra Budd, and Senior Advisor to LACC Bill DeWalt, alongside Sylvia Keller, Senior Adviser to LACC, Jo-Marie Burt, LASA President, and Milagros Pereyra, LASA Executive Director.
The gala will be celebrating the Latin American Cultural Center’s new exhibition Mexican Masks. “Masks have been used in Mexico for thousands of years to portray objects and themes as varied as plants and animals; old and young; ethnic, political, economic, and social differences; and especially the fantastical and supernatural,” the LACC writes in their excerpt on the exhibition. Join the Cultural Center in exploring the history of masks in Mexico from their historic and ceremonial uses to the present day adaptations in lucha libre and even as “creative representations of the Covid-19 pandemic” as the LACC notes.
The gala will take place on Saturday, September 23 at the Latin American Cultural Center at 4338 Bigelow Boulevard in Pittsburgh. Welcome cocktails will begin at 5:30 pm, and opening remarks will start at 7 pm, followed by a concert by Camerata 33. A light dinner will be served at 8:15 pm. Tickets for the event are $195 per person and all proceeds will benefit future programming at the Latin American Cultural Center. Valet parking will be provided. Please RSVP by September 15, 2023, on this page.
For more information about the Latin American Cultural Center, or to plan a visit or explore their virtual tours, head to https://lacc.lasaweb.org/.
