Rediscovering an Artist: Roberto de la Selva and the Lost Murals at The Deserted Village

During the "enormous vogue of things Mexican" in the late 1920s, an exceptional artist painted murals depicting rural Mexican life on the walls of a cottage in Feltville—Union County’s “Deserted Village.“ Eventually covered with wallpaper, the stunning panels lay forgotten until rediscovered many decades later.

Research revealed them to be the work of Roberto de la Selva, a native of Nicaragua renowned as a bas relief sculptor in wood. His style and themes tied him to the important movement known as Mexican Modernism, in which artists such as Diego Rivera and José Clemente Orozco celebrated post-Revolution social reform and the heritage of indigenous cultures.

The Library is pleased to host a special program to share the fascinating story of these unique murals and the artist who left his mark here in Union County . The panel of speakers will feature:

• Daniel Bernier, Director of Park Planning and Environmental Services for Union County, and resident caretaker of Feltville
• Priscilla Hayes, a writer and researcher dedicated to chronicling Feltville’s rich three-century history
• Alejandro Anreus, Ph.D, Emeritus Professor of Art History and Latin American Studies, William Paterson University
• Ron Burkard, a longtime collector of de la Selva’s art (joining us from Oklahoma via Zoom)

Please register to join us either in-person or on Zoom for this event!