Sign up for TPR Today, Texas Public Radio's newsletter that brings our top stories to your inbox each morning.
“The Selena Effect" at the Wittliff Collections, on the campus of Texas State University, is an exhibit that explores and celebrates the life, music, and enduring cultural influence of Selena Quintanilla-Perez.
The exhibit highlights her legacy as a pop icon and a trailblazer in music and fashion — even decades after her death.
Music curator at the Wittliff Collections, Hector Saldaña, said previous displays pertaining to Selena’s life and work have drawn attention from younger and younger visitors, so he was inspired to put together a project to capture her appeal beyond the music.
This is remarkable, considering that even young people of average college age were born years after the death of Selena. But they are interested in and inspired by Selena’s creativity and talent.
“The premise [of ‘The Selena Effect’] is to consider Selena in the present tense and to wonder, what is she going to mean to future generations?” said Saldaña. “It is something about the light that she had, that spirit. She definitely is an icon.”
Saldaña said he gave a preview of the exhibit to some incoming college freshman students. While they stood behind the locked doors before the showcase was available to the public, he asked the students if they wanted to be the first to see the pieces being put together for the displays.
“There was no reason for them to explain why they were so giddy and joyful about her. I didn’t feel compelled to tell them ‘this is why you need to like Selena’ or ‘here is why she’s important,’” said Saldaña. “She just exists in that realm.”
“The Selena Effect” exhibit consists of photographs, clothing, designer sketches and art installations.
“The first thing you would see is a giant image of Selena in a gold cap with her signature above her. You see a couple of items of clothing that she helped design and wore that have never been on display,” said Saldaña. “As you walk in you see that we have other images on the wall and then a Día de los Muertos-style installation by San Antonio artist, David Zamora Casas.”
Selena’s fashion designer Martin Gomez’s work is also featured in the exhibit.
“When [Gomez] talks about 'The Selena Effect,' for him it’s almost like that freedom to be who you wanted to be,” said Saldaña. “He talks about how Selena really wanted her fashion line to take off. She really wanted to be able to express herself that way, not just as a musician.”
Gomez will be a special guest at The Wittliff Collections on Sept. 25 to talk about what it was like to be Selena's close friend and confidant and to collaborate with her as her fashion designer.
Saldaña said Gomez will be reading from his diary, sharing anecdotes about how he first met Selena. He will also share some other observations about some of the events that occurred before her death.
The exhibit also includes a specific pencil sketch of a design that Saldaña finds moving. It was created by Gomez and Selena. The design was eventually realized—as the outfit she would be buried in.
“You see something that was created in life that was never intended to be something that would be the last thing she would ever wear. All of these things were in front of her. Things she touched and wore,” said Saldaña. “To look at the young woman in all the different phases ... chasing her dream. And she achieved a lot, but a lot of it was just within reach.”
"The Selena Effect" at The Wittliff Collections runs through December 6.
