The Museum of the National Center of Afro-American Artists and the Boston Merengue
Committee are pleased to present ¡Merengue! Visual Rhythms/Ritmos Visuales, a major traveling
exhibition featuring more than forty works by twenty-eight historical and contemporary artists
from the Dominican Republic for its only New England stop.
Previously presented in New York and Washington, DC, Merengue! is open August 14
through November 23, 2008, Tuesdays through Sundays from 10-5. Numerous public programs
accompany the exhibition and offer sponsored tour opportunities to schools and community
groups. ¡Merengue! was organized by the Centro Cultural Eduardo León Jimenes and is toured
by Art and Artists International.
The press is invited to attend on August 14, opening day, from 10:00a.m.-2:00p.m. The
exhibition opens to the public on August 15.
¡Merengue! includes paintings, sculpture, works on paper and video installations, as well
as an illustrated timeline documenting key moments in the intersection of merengue as a music
and dance form and the socio-political history of the Dominican Republic. It also provides a rich
introduction to visual culture in the island nation, including its major figures and movements
over the twentieth century. Woven together in the art are African, Spanish, and uniquely
Caribbean threads that help explain the universal appeal of merengue music and dance.
¡Merengue! falls within the long tradition of the Museum of the National Center of Afro-
American Artists, which has previously presented national exhibitions from Jamaica, Haiti,
Senegal and Brazil. Said museum director Edmund Barry Gaither “When I heard about
¡Merengue! I knew it had to come to Boston. I called Frieda Garcia and said, ‘How can we
make this happen?’ She got behind the idea and reached out to the people who serve on the
planning committee, and a year later, we’re doing it together.”
The presentation of ¡Merengue! in Boston builds stronger bridges between cultural
communities in the city while providing a golden opportunity for students and others to learn
about the Dominican Republic, its place in the Spanish-speaking Caribbean and in the Americas.
With the support of The Boston Foundation and other corporations and philanthropies, the
museum and the Boston Merengue Committee are supporting exhibition tours for schools and
community organizations. To learn more about this opportunity, call 617-442-8614 or visit
www.merengueboston.com.
The distinguished honorary chairpersons of the Boston Merengue Committee are noted
author Julia Alvarez, Pulitzer Prize winning novelist Junot Diaz, and Red Sox ball player and
philanthropist David Ortiz. Frieda Garcia, civic activist and retired executive director of the
United South End Settlements chairs the committee whose other members are Hector Piña, José
Massó, Camilo Alvarez, Andres Paniagua, Maria Moreno, Araminta Romero, Nydia Mendez and
Tony Barros.
Dates: August 14 – November 23, 2008
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 9:30-5:00
Press Opening: Thursday, August 14, 10:00am-2pm
Costs: Free for school groups
$4 general admission; $3 seniors
To schedule tour and for more information: 617-442-8614