Telenovela

Telenovela explores the cultural significance of telenovelas across the Western Hemisphere through the lens of visual art. With over 50 artworks produced between the 1970s and the present day, the exhibition will demonstrate that telenovelas are an enduring Pan-American phenomenon that transcends geography, social stratification, or cultural categories.

Telenovela posits that the genre has been instrumental in conveying Latin American social, political, and economic values to inter-American audiences, while serving as a cultural touchstone for individuals throughout the region. Telenovelas are the most circulated cultural product of postwar Latin America, and a key part of inter-American dialogue with shows from Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Argentina, and Brazil becoming Hemispheric hits. Subverting traditional discourses through their use of camp, telenovelas subtly challenge the boundaries of class, gender, and taste in the largely rigid and machista societies of the Americas.

The artists participating in this exhibition include: Alexander Apóstol, Amelia Bande, Miguel Calderón, Sol Calero and Dafna Maimon, Stephen Callis, Leslie Ernst, Rubén Ortiz-Torres, and Sandra Ramírez, Déborah Castillo, Leda Catunda, Alex Červený, Phil Collins, Miriam Inez da Silva, Wilson Díaz, Andrés Duque, Enrique Flores, Coco Fusco and Nao Bustamante, Julio Galán, Dalton Gata, Camilo Godoy, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Martine Gutierrez, Pablo Helguera, Katalina Iturralde, Christian Jankowski, Maripaz Jaramillo, Silvan Kälin, Leandro Katz, Juan David Laserna, José Leonilson, Lolo y Lauti, Daniela Lovera and Juan Nascimento, Arnulfo Luna, Antonio Manuel, Lucas Michael, Jessica Mitrani, Luis Molina-Pantin, Rachelle Mozman Solano, Vik Muniz, Hélio Oiticica, Yoshua Okón, Bernardo Oyarzún, Wanda Pimentel, Luciana Pinchiero, Wanda Raimundi-Ortiz, Abigail Reyes, Reynaldo Rivera, Fátima Rodrigo, Daniela Rossell, Marco Rountree, Stefan Ruiz, Teresa Serrano, Rodrigo Valenzuela, Yvonne Venegas, Erika Verzutti, Francesco Vezzoli, Márcia X and Aimberê César, and Bruce and Norman Yonemoto.

Curated by Aimé Iglesias Lukin.

The exhibition will be accompanied by two printed publications: an exhibition catalogue and a scholarly reader. Telenovela: A Reader is co-edited by Aimé Iglesias Lukin and Mariano López Seoane (CCS Bard), and compiles artworks, archival documents, and multidisciplinary essays exploring telenovelas from the perspectives of art history, sociology, anthropology, comparative literature, performance studies, and visual studies.

To accompany the show, Americas Society will present a series of public programs:

Wednesday, September 16, 2026, 6–8pm: Telenovela: A Reader book launch 

 
Wednesday, October 14, 2026, 6–8pm: Panel: Instituto de la Telenovela: Entre la gloria y el olvido by Pablo Helguera in conversation with Julieta González and Ana Janevski

 
Friday, January 22, 2027, 6–8pm: Telenovela Karaoke hosted by artist Wanda Raimundi-Ortiz in partnership with Music of the Americas 

 
Wednesday, February 24 and Thursday, February 25, 2027: Telenovela: A Symposium 

 
Wednesday, March 10, 2027, 6–8pm: La pasión de Andrea del Boca. Ópera para un barítono y dos televisores (Andrea del Boca's passion: Opera for a baritone and two televisions). Performance by Lolo y Lauti in partnership with Music of the Americas (Art at Americas Society Performance Series) 

 
Early 2027: Ensayo abismal (Abysmal rehearsal). Performance by Amelia Bande in partnership with Music of the Americas (Americas Society Performance Series)

For more information, visit artatmericassociety.org. For press inquiries, contact mediarelations@as-coa.org. For general inquiries, contact art@as-coa.org.