Esperanza Cortés: Embroidered Allegories

Colombian artist Esperanza Cortés weaves personal and cultural histories through embroidered works inspired by the Hispanic Society's collection, from Velázquez to Manila shawls.

Why go

Cortés, a Guggenheim Fellow whose work appears in the MFA Boston's permanent collection, created this exhibition as a Vilcek Foundation Artist Research Fellow, drawing directly from the museum's holdings to explore cultural heritage and colonialism's legacy.

What to expect

Interdisciplinary works across painting, sculpture, installation, and video that blend personal narratives of triumph and tragedy with reflections on colonial legacies, informed by close study of Old Masters and decorative arts in the collection.

Things to know

• Colombian-born interdisciplinary artist and Guggenheim Fellow.
• Work held in the permanent collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
• Created as part of the Vilcek Foundation Artist Research Fellowship at the Hispanic Society.
• Third exhibition in the Hispanic Society's annual 'Arte en el Alto Manhattan' series.
• Inspired by study of works ranging from Velázquez and Goya to metalwork and mantones de Manila.
• On view September 3 to November 1, 2026.