Remember: Guatemalan Culture and Community with Magda Leon
New Bedford Whaling Museum
Coming Fall 2027
Upcoming Workshops
July 26th | 2:00-6:00
El Patio de Comidas Festival | CEDC New Bedford
235 N. Front Street, New Bedford
August 9th | 2:00-6:00
El Patio de Comidas Festival | CEDC New Bedford
235 N. Front Street, New Bedford
Stay Tuned for more Workshops!
Giant Kite Making Community Workshops
Come participate in a hands-on giant kite-making workshop with multi-media artist Magda Leon and the Guatemalan Center of New England. These giant kites, called barriletes, are inspired by a Mayan tradition from southern Guatemala where giant kites are crafted by the community throughout the year and flown in November to honor loved ones that have passed away.
Let’s build, laugh, share stories and celebrate heritage with color and creativity.
All are welcome!
Many of the kites made in the workshops will be on view alongside other artworks, personal stories, and installations by multi-media artist Magda Leon at the New Bedford Whaling Museum in the fall of 2027. The project celebrates the histories and experiences of the Guatemalan community in the greater New Bedford area and Southcoast---drawing connections between ancient communal practices and contemporary experiences of migration, exploring the universal pursuit for belonging and community.
This 2027 community-focused exhibition is part of a larger multi-year exploration of migration and community in New Bedford and the foundational labor and industrial histories of the region.
BIOS
Magda Leon, a Guatemalan-born multidisciplinary artist currently residing in Providence, RI, focuses in printmaking, installation, and social practice art. Leon’s work reflects her bicultural identity, which she cariñosamente (lovingly) refers to as “De aquí y de allá”.
The Guatemalan Center of New England promotes and shares Guatemalan culture, establishes cultural connections between Guatemala and New England, and identifies and develops strategies to address the needs of Guatemalans in the region.
https://www.guatemalancenter.org/
Community Economic Development Center | New Bedford
Our CEDC seeks to create a more just local economy by building bridges to resources, networks, and cooperative action for new immigrants and working families to find their way to economic opportunity.
Photo Credit: Jenni Ugarte
