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The textiles of La Malinche

RECYCLABLE MATERIAL| Work by Norberto Mojardín made of corn husks. (Photo/ El Comercio de Colorado)

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The CU Denver Experience Gallery presents “Malintzin: Unraveled and Rewoven.” This exhibition is presented as a partnership between the Latino Cultural Arts Center (LCAC), the Denver Art Museum (DAM), the Museum of the Americas, and CU Denver. The show is one of three exhibitions in honor of La Malinche, a controversial figure in Mexican history. The exhibition is free and open to the public until May 1, 2022.

Through textiles, the LCAC seeks to reinterpret the historical significance of La Malinche. “We represent the knowledge and power that Malintzin wielded and wove in his time. A woman who was considered a traitor is celebrated in this exhibition for who she truly was: an important historical figure who put her community before herself and gave birth to a nation of mixed Spanish and indigenous culture and heritage,” said Lilian Lara, sample curator.

With recyclable material

This exhibition showcases contemporary art, crafts, and designs made from recycled materials. Talented artist and designer Norberto “Beto” Mojardin created a corn husk dress. It is a one-of-a-kind design that represents Malintzin through fashion and culturally significant materials for indigenous Mexicans. Lara, curator of the exhibition, also shows several of her works as a textile designer.

Digital art

An interactive attraction completes the exhibition. This was created by Bryan Leister and his students at the CU Denver College of Arts and Media (CAM). They developed an app that includes a digitized visualization of Leslie Tillet’s tapestry “The Conquest of Mexico.” This digital application offers a modern interpretation of the 36-month campaign that Cortez executed in Mexico, between 1519 and 1521.