Welcome Back: Celebrating the Close of Fall and the Start of a New Term
The Hispanic Department warmly welcomes you back for the spring term! We wish you a successful semester in our courses and programs. Before moving forward, we would like to highlight some of the exciting events that closed out our fall term.
We celebrated the achievements of our winter graduates with a special recognition ceremony and honored students who received awards for their exceptional work. Additionally, we hosted the Bellini Colloquium, where Professors Miguel Domínguez Rohan and Rebecca Pineda Burgos shared their fascinating research.
Dr. Miguel Domínguez Rohan presented "Encounters and Disagreements between Juan García Ponce and Pierre Klossowski," an analysis of the philosophical exchange between the Mexican writer and the French artist-philosopher. This correspondence (1974–1982) explored debates around “truth” in contemporary art and literature. García Ponce compared the artist’s imagination to the mythical Actaeon, capable of transforming images into words. In contrast, Klossowski argued that language’s linear nature could not capture myth’s ambiguity, inspiring his shift from literature to painting. Despite their opposing views, their dialogue played a crucial role in fostering literary and artistic connections between Mexico and Europe.
Dr. Rebecca Pineda Burgos presented "Reimagining the Cult of Bolívar in Venezuelan Art: Deborah Castillo,"examining the evolving use of Simón Bolívar’s image in Venezuelan nationalism, particularly under Chavismo. Bolívar’s figure, deeply embedded in Venezuelan identity, was racialized and reimagined to align with revolutionary ideals. Dr. Pineda Burgos analyzed how contemporary artist Deborah Castillo critiques this hegemonic cult through performance art, exposing the ritualistic, cyclical nature of nationalist symbols. By confronting Bolívar’s monumental legacy, Castillo reclaims it as a space for dissent, challenging the monolithic vision of Venezuela’s national identity.
We thank our faculty, students, and staff for their contributions to our vibrant community and look forward to an enriching spring semester!