Opening: Morena Moderna: La Virgen de Guadalupe June 1, 2007

Our Lady of Guadalupe is one of the most popular symbols of the Americas, especially in Mexico where she is the best known and most loved of all saints. Morena Moderna: La Virgen de Guadalupe, a photo essay by Diana Molina, opens at the Branigan Cultural Center in Las Cruces with a reception from 5 - 7 p.m. on Friday, June 1. The exhibit is sponsored in part by the Frame & Art Center of Las Cruces.

Like so many elements of Mexican culture, the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is found throughout the Southwest. Finding the presence of La Virgen throughout her travels in Mexico and the United States, photographer Diana Molina began to document the modern-day phenomenon of La Morena Moderna. Her depictions of the symbol reveal the occurrence and historical evolution of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe within contemporary society, politics and media. Through photography, Molina shows portrayals of La Virgen in a variety of locations ranging from the Basilica in Mexico City to Washington, D.C., as well as close to home at Tortugas and in El Paso.

Photographer, film maker and writer Diana Molina is a native of El Paso, TX, and currently resides in New Mexico, on the Texas and Mexico border. She began photography while abroad in Europe, where she lived for 10 years. Focusing on cultural, political and environmental issues, Molina has published feature articles for numerous international magazines, including Elle, Esquire, GEO, GQ, Marie Claire, National Geographic Traveler and Vogue. Exhibits of her photography have been shown at venues including the Art Museum of the Americas in Washington, D.C., the Institute of Texan Cultures in San Antonio, and the Albuquerque Museum of Natural History and Science. Most recently her documentary photography was part of a three-artist exhibit, North & South of the Border, at the Las Cruces Museum of Art.

The Morena Moderna: La Virgen de Guadalupe exhibit runs from Friday, June 1 through Saturday, Aug. 25. The Branigan Cultural Center is located at the northern end of the downtown mall, at 501 N. Main. The Center is free and accessible. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. -4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. -1 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, call 505.541.2255 or visit http://museums.las-cruces.org.

Event submitted by Eventful.com on behalf of lcms.