Press release from the
KEY WEST ART & HISTORICAL SOCIETY
281 FRONT STREET, KEY WEST, FL 33040
295-6616 Fax: 295-6649

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SANCHEZ EXHIBIT TO CHRONICLE KEY WEST’S PAST IN FOLK ART

Curator Norman Aberle and Key West Art & Historical Society CEO Claudia Pennington prepare to hang the society’s new exhibit of Key West Artist Mario Sanchez’s work at the second-floor exhibit hall at the Custom House.
An exhibition of over 70 original works by the late Key West folk artist Mario Sanchez, a pictorial chronicle of the island’s history, opened Friday, Oct. 10. Mario was born October 7, 1908.
Titled “100 Years and Better Than Ever,” the exhibition is presented at the Key West Museum of Art & History at the Custom House, 281 Front St.
“Mario Sanchez has been looked upon by curators and historians as the most important Cuban-American folk artist of the 20th century,” said Nance Frank, guest curator and author. “The exhibition speaks directly to how Mario’s geopolitical background influenced the philosophy and artwork of this national treasure.”
The exhibit’s title refers to the work of the self-taught Sanchez, created during a career that spanned some 70 years, and the island he depicted with intricate detail and affectionate humor.
Sanchez’ scenes record his impressions of daily life in Key West during the early 20th century. His subjects are street vendors and shopkeepers peddling their wares, dancers and musicians, gossiping women and chicken thieves, mischievous children and cigar makers — all portrayed in bas-relief carvings, known as intaglios, painted with brilliant primary colors.
His pieces are peopled with creative renderings of real Key West inhabitants who shaped the landscape of his boyhood. His work portrays structures that were then and still are island landmarks, including Ernest Hemingway’s one-time home, the Key West Lighthouse and the San Carlos Institute.
According to Claudia Pennington, executive director of the Key West Art & Historical Society that operates the museum, the historical accuracy of Sanchez’ work is as remarkable as his artistry.
“The artist portrays everyday events and showcases many of the same buildings that stand today,” said Pennington. “In addition to Mario’s carvings, archival and present-day photos will help visitors recognize these neighborhood places that are visual reminders of our history and part of our island’s character.”
The exhibition also includes Sanchez documents, photographs and a film clip of the artist at work. In addition, visitors can view his paint box and a brush that he purchased in Cuba for 25 cents and used for 25 years.
“Stetson Kennedy was at the opening signing his book, ‘Grits & Grunts,’” Pennington said.
Kennedy is a founding member of the Florida Folklore Society and has been elected to the Florida Artists Hall of Fame. Kennedy first came to Key West in 1935 and got to know Sanchez. “Grits & Grunts” is about Key West characters, many of who appear in Mario’s art, and the book’s cover comes from one of Sanchez’s works that will be on display.
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The Sanchez exhibition is to be on display from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through March 31, 2009, at the Key West Museum of Art & History.
Museum admission is $10 per person for adults, $9 for local residents and seniors over age 62 and $5 for children and students. Children under 6 are admitted free.
For more information, contact the museum at (305) 295-6616, ext. 12.

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