Not Lost in Translation: The Life of Clotilde Arias

Learn about the life of composer Clotilde Arias through a selection of her possessions: personal and professional documents, journals, objects, and photographs. Arias immigrated to New York from Iquitos, Peru, in 1923 at the age of 22. A composer, musician, journalist, copywriter, activist, and educator, she is best known for her composition “Huiracocha.” In 1946 she was commissioned by the US Department of State to provide an official translation of the US national anthem that could be sung in Spanish. Through the lens of this one atypical woman and immigrant, the exhibition provides insight into the historical markers of the first half of the 20th century, including the Great Depression, World War II, the development of Madison Avenue as an advertising powerhouse, and Pan-Americanism.

Text in English and Spanish