Celia Alvárez Muñoz
"Ella" y "El"

"Ella" y "El"

© Celia Alvárez Muñoz

"Ella" y "El"
"Ella" y "El"
CultureAmerican
Titles
  • "Ella" y "El"
Date1990
PlaceUnited States
MediumMaple cabinet, silver dye bleach photographs, letterpress type, fabric, ribbon, buttons, dijos, and found objects
Dimensions31 3/4 × 54 1/8 × 3 7/8 in. (80.6 × 137.5 × 9.8 cm)
Credit LineGift of The Barrett Collection, Dallas
Object number98.720
Non exposé

Explore Further

Object Type
Description

“Ella” y ‘El’  is a significant example of the work of Celia Alvárez Muñoz in the early 1990s, offering an essay on coming of age and the rites of passage marking such events. Muñoz began the piece by creating altar-like arrangements of clothing and artifacts, which she lit and photographed. As the titles printed beneath each image suggest, the panels are divided along gender lines. The “ella” panel features a little girl’s red dress, surrounded by romantic charms and images of the Sacred Heart; 'el'  features a boy’s christening gown in front of a sun god and surrounded by knives and Day of the Dead skeletons. The cabinet doors open to reveal additional text and a collection of objects that complement and reinforce the front panel imagery. Muñoz created the piece to honor the marriage of her friends; as such, “Ella” y ‘El’ celebrates the union of male and female.


 


ProvenanceBarrett Collection, Dallas; given to MFAH, 1998.

Exhibition History"1991 Whitney Biennial," Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, April 2–June 30, 1991.

“Crossing State Lines: Texas Art from the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston," Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, September 23, 2000–March 18, 2001.

"Between Play and Grief: Selections from the Latino American Collection," Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, March 16–September 8, 2019.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks
Inscription: There is a label on the back of the cabinet: "Whitney Museum of American Art / 945 Madison Avenue, New York, New York, 10011 / BI. 91. 192.1 / Celia Alvarez Munoz / Ella y El, 1990 / Mixed media installation / 32 x 54 x 4 / The Barrett Collection / 1991 Biennial / April 2 - June 30, 1991".
The assemblage is signed and dated in pencil, recto, beneath the lower right photograph: "Celia A. Muñoz '89".

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

If you have questions about this work of art or the MFAH Online Collection please contact us.

Transparent Migrations
Amalia Mesa-Bains
2001
Mirrored armoire, 16 glass leaves, wire armatures, small gauze dress, lace mantilla, assorted crytal miniatures, shattered safety glass
2019.28
Corner Cabinet
Henry Lindley Fry
1870–1880
Oak and pine
2002.3547
Breakfront Bookcase
William Vile
c. 1727–1760
Mahogany
94.1192
Set of Throne Ornaments (Tidar Tidar)
19th century
Gold, beads, coin, and twine
2004.2372.1-.7
Untitled
John Reuter
1978
Internal dye diffusion transfer print
2002.1959
Arch Clock
Wendell Castle
1985
Brazilian rosewood, curly maple, gold-plated brass, and wind and electrical movements with chimes
2017.302
Radioactive Cats
Sandy Skoglund
1980
Silver dye bleach print
94.818
Robert W. Fichter
1985
Silver dye bleach print
98.702
#797-23
Allan Chasanoff
1983, printed 1984
Silver dye bleach print
93.271
Pair of Corner Cabinets
Mayhew & Ince
c. 1773
Tulipwood, satinwood, amaranth, pine and ormolu
96.1214.1,.2
Bureau Cabinet
c. 1750
Parcel gilt, mahogany
96.1588
Grand Tour Cabinet
Late 18th century
Red sulphur intaglio casts, housed in oak cabinet veneered with keranji wood, with metal key
BF.2022.10.A-.O