Spanish Trip to the Botanical Garden

On 31 Oct., cadets from the West Point Spanish Club took a trip to the Botanical Garden in New York City. There the cadets attended the exhibit of Frida Kahlo, a famous Mexican female artist. The exhibit featured a rare display of mare than a dozen original Kahlo art pieces, both on canvas and paper. This enduring cultural event also included lectures and a display of other artists re-creating Kahlo’s artwork. Through these events, the cadets learned about Kahlo’s life, the famed artists’ studio at Casa Azul, in Mexico City, and its influence on her complex use of plant imagery in her art. Additionally, the cadets learned about Día de los Muertos, the traditional Mexican celebration of honoring departed family members. The cadets participated in many cultural activities, such as musical performances, a procession featuring La Calavera Catrina (skeletons made of paper maché), other dancers in traditional costumes, and performers on stilts. The cadets also had the opportunity to observe an ofrenda, an alter decorated with traditional Mexican images, flowers, sugar skulls, and other mementos.