A traveling exhibition of profoundly diverse Spanish and Latin American folk art debuted for U.S. audiences at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County on Wednesday.

A skull signifying Dia de los Muertos is on display with hundreds of other pieces of folk art at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. (photo by Matt Sanderson)

“Grandes Maestros: Great Masters of Iberoamerican Folk Art, Collections of Fomento Cultural Banamex” runs from Nov. 9 through Sept. 13, and features more than 800 works made by approximately 600 of the most accomplished artists from 22 countries, including Spain, Portugal, Argentina, Cuba, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Peru and many more. The exhibition spans a special 13,000-square-foot gallery in the museum.

“Folk art is a marriage of human creativity, cultural identity and a powerful bond to the planet and the natural resources it provides, so it should be no surprise that the Natural History Museum will be the first U.S. stop for the Grandes Maestro exhibition,” said Dr. Jane Pisano, president and director.

The celebration’s opening on Wednesday included a Latin festival, L.A. Opera’s Florencia en el Amazonas and Malibu Mariachi. There were also guided tours, artisanal workshops and Latin American-inspired cuisine.

Grandes Maestros is curated by Candida Fernandez de Calderon, director of Fomento Cultural Banamex in Mexico. The nonprofit promotes the preservation of Mexican culture.

“Los Angeles has strong ties to Latin America, from which the Grandes Maestros treasures come,” Pisano said. “The exhibit, at this museum and in this city, will move people to see their pasts, and the world around them, in new ways.”

The introductory gallery leads into galleries filled with contemporary works grouped by artistic medium, such as textiles, clay, wood, meta, natural fibers, paper, leather and more. The objects are arranged on modernist pedestals without glass cases.

Leading “grand master” artists such as Oscar Soteno Elias, of Mexico; Edila Hitucama Negria, of Panama; and Antonio Lopez Fuentes, Casa Fermin, of Spain, are showcased. Many of the contemporary artworks stem from rich traditions dating back to the pre-Columbian era and also illustrate European influences.

Calderon, speaking through an interpreter, said the investment the museum has made to work with the artists keeps their traditions alive, and helps the economic vitality of some of their native villages.

Dr. Karen Wise, an archeologist and vice president of education and exhibits at the museum, said many of the artists’ work are showcased in native museums in colonial settings.

“But here, we wanted the displays to be very forward looking, much like L.A.” she said. “Forty-five percent of L.A.’s residents trace their heritage to this exhibit. These objects represent deep cultural traditions that help us learn the history of the Americas and the western world. I’m moved by these artisans.”

For information, visit www.nhm.org or www.fomentoculturalbanamex.org.