RSS FeedVISIONES- School Library Journal, May 2005
School Library Journal, May 2005:
Visiones: Latino Art & Culture
Grade 6 Up- In this six-part documentary that aired on PBS in last summer 2004, many facets of Latino art and culture are presented in a fascinating quilt of music, murals, poetry, drama, and dance. Utilizing the talents of Latino producers from around the country, Visiones incorporates unique storytelling, innovative filmmaking, and fresh perspectives to weave an interesting account of the past and its relationship to the present and the future. From murals on the streets of Chicago and Los Angeles to hip hop dancers in New York City, from the Miami Sound to theater in Texas, the series offers a vibrant cross section of the work of Latino artists today and yesterday. Each 30 minute episode presents six to seven stories that will educate, entertain, and electrify viewers by their sheer creative energy. While each segment focuses primarily on similar forms of art or artists, it blends different art forms and shows common historical or cultural themes. Thus the first episode showcases the Latino Mural Movement of the 1960’s with Nuyorican spoken art that emerged in the same time period. Episode four showcases music that ranges from hip hop and Miami Sound to modern dance. Interviews with the artists bring a personal touch and immediacy to the art, and help us to understand how and why they were created. The series incorporates extraordinary archival material to give historical depth to the ongoing work of a new generation of Latino artists. It also examines our diverse Latino communities and how they were able to keep their artistic expressions alive while creating new and unique visions that contribute to art in America. Some of the artists, such as dance pioneer Rudy Perez, Prima Ballerina Evelyn Cisneros, actress Miriam Colon, musician Tito Puente, and singer Selena are familiar to many Americans, but this series introduces the lesser-known Latino art community as well, and shows how the Latino culture has blended Hispanic and American roots to grow and thrive. Well-paced and emotionally stirring, this is an invigorating introduction to Latino art and culture and would be especially useful in studies of Hispanic-American art, literature, and social studies. - MaryAnn Karre, Horace Mann Elementary School, Binghamton, NY