Mexico; Past & Present
Works by Kelynn Z. Alder
Curated by John Cino
December 13, 2025 – February 15, 2026 RECEPTION December 13 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM Featuring bites from RUTA OAXACA
Patchogue, NY — Patchogue Arts Council • Museum of Contemporary Art
Long Island (PAC • MoCA L.I.) is proud to present Mexico; Past &
Present — Works by Kelynn Z. Alder, on view December 13, 2025 –
February 15, 2026 at MoCA L.I., 20 Terry Street, Patchogue, NY 11772.
Curated by Senior Curator John Cino, this solo exhibition brings
together paintings and prints that braid pre-Hispanic mythologies,
living ritual, Indigenous languages, and contemporary iconography into
what Alder describes as a “Mestiza mix.”
Alder’s work opens a window onto the deep rooted culture of our
neighbors across the southern border and next door’.,
John Cino, Sr. Curator and Program Director.
Drawing from her Mexican and Mexican-American heritage, Alder connects
ancestral knowledge to present-day life: fragments of Aztec codices
and Maya glyphs mingle with Lotería numerals, the Virgin of Guadalupe,
and the typography of everyday brands. The works honor ceremonial
practices still enacted today—from Día de los Muertos observances in
the highland Maya towns of Chamula and Zinacantán to the Lacandón
Balché ceremony in the Chiapas rainforest—inviting viewers to consider
tradition as a living practice.
“As a Mexican American, I’ve inherited the gift of a wonderfully rich
and complex culture,” says Alder.
“Through image-making, I strive to connect my ancestors’ past with the
present and to celebrate this eclectic coexistence.”
“Alder’s paintings are layered bridges—between language and image,
devotion and daily life,” notes Beth Giacummo, Executive Director.
Special events planned in coordination with the exhibition include: an
opening reception will take place on Saturday, December 13, 2025 •
5:00–7:00 PM, and a session of Coffee with a Curator featuring curator
John Cino & Kelynn Z. Alder in conversation will take place on
Saturday, January 24, 2026 • 12:00 – 1:00 PM. The lecture can be
joined person: MoCA L.I., 20 Terry Street, Patchogue or on Zoom. The
exhibit and events are free and open to the public.
An additional exhibition of works will take place in one of PAC’s
satellite gallery locations: Gallery @ SEPA Mujer will feature Kelynn
Z. Alder; ICONS on view from December 18, 2025 – February 15, 2026
located at 110 North Avenue, Patchogue, NY 11772
About the Artist
Kelynn Z. Alder is a Mexican-American artist whose practice interlaces
pre-Hispanic mythology, Indigenous languages (including ongoing study
of Nahuatl), and contemporary culture. Her work is currently on view
at the National Museum of Mexican Art (Chicago). Recent projects
include the solo exhibition Animal Spirits & Ancient Rituals at
Gallery North and the award-winning exhibition SOMOS/WE ARE at the
Long Island Museum (a Smithsonian affiliate), which Alder
guest-curated to feature 82 Long Island Latinx artists.
Alder is a founding member of Latino Arts of Long Island and
co-founder of artmadehere.org. She has led free art workshops in
underserved communities—particularly among Indigenous communities in
Chiapas—and her editorial and documentary work spans The New Yorker,
Coney Island sideshow portraiture, and field projects with Aboriginal
elders in Australia and communities in Papua New Guinea. She earned
her MFA from the School of Visual Arts (SVA), where she teaches
drawing and painting, and is a member of the New York Society of Women
Artists.
Instagram: @kelynnalder • Website: kelynnalder.com