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Borrowing a metaphor from the Spanish language, in which every sheet of paper is a leaf — hoja: hoja — Antonio Martorell, in special artist-written commentary, took visitors on a journey through contemporary Latino and Latin American printmaking. This exhibition was significant in that it featured works on paper that are closely connected with the popular communities for which they were made. Often posted in neighborhoods of the graphic workshops where they were produced in Mexico, Puerto Rico, and New York, these works are more “democratic” in the sense that they were more commonly visible, more accessible, and more affordable for the broad community. Considering the works from these cultural and artistic perspectives, the exhibition presented a unique view of the development of Latino voices, representing both singular artistic approaches and wider reflections of community concerns.

A Walk through the Paper Forest: Latino Prints and Drawings from El Museo del Barrio featured more than 70 prints and posters produced by Latino and Latin American artists in this country, as well as Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, Colombia, Guatemala, Uruguay, and Panama. The works are bold, colorful, and potent images, often featuring political statements, invitations to festivals, or advertisements for theater productions. This traveling exhibition was organized by El Museo del Barrio and circulated by the Gallery Association of New York State.

This exhibition was organized by El Museo del Barrio, circulated by the Gallery Association of New York State, and brought to the Albright-Knox by Assistant Curator Claire Schneider.