September 9, 2026 - February 19, 2027
Opening reception: Wednesday, September 9, 2027 from 5:30pm - 7:00pm
Free and open to the public.
Lafayette Hall, CT State Housatonic (900 Lafayette Blvd)
As the United States celebrates its semiquincentennial in 2026, the Housatonic Museum of Art presents an exhibition tied to Connecticut's themes for America 250. The exhibition, "Making his Mark in Connecticut: The Creative Process of F. Luis Mora" explores the main themes of America 250 | CT through the lens of the Uruguayan-born artist who settled in Gaylordsville, CT.
Featuring never-before-seen preparatory drawings, this exhibition tells the origin story of the first Hispanic member of the National Academy of Design and his legacy in his adopted state. The Housatonic Museum of Art is proud to host this groundbreaking exhibition, which traces the evolution of his under-appreciated artist from his initial teenage sketches to his expansive repertoire that includes large-scale mural projects, widely-circulated images in popular magazines, significant body of World War I posters, and exceptional oil paintings. The exhibition includes new scholarship on Mora’s impact on the humanities, ranging from art history and cultural studies to literature and the performing arts.
The exhibition was curated by Dr. Cynthia Roznoy with insight from Benjamin Ortiz. This project is supported by funding through CT Humanities, the Wyeth Foundation for American Art, and America 250 | CT. Special thanks to lead donor, Elizabeth Fray.
The Housatonic Museum of Art extends special thanks to the private collectors and institutions who loaned artwork to the exhibition:
- Benjamin Ortiz and Victor Torchia, Jr.
- Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia
- Florence Griswold Museum, Connecticut
- Mattatuck Museum, Connecticut
- Private Collection of George Wall, Rhode Island
- Southern Connecticut State University Library, Connecticut
- The Mark Twain House and Museum, Connecticut
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
- The Rockwell Museum, New York
- Yale University Art Gallery, Connecticut
