LONG BEACH.- The Museum of Latin American Art will once again host the most important auction of contemporary Latin American fine art on the West Coast, Auction 08: Contemporary Latin American Art, on October 18 – 19, 2008. The auction will feature more than 220 extraordinary works of art including paintings, sculptures, works on paper and prints by renowned and emerging artists from Mexico, Central and South America and the Spanish speaking Caribbean.

The event will showcase works by some of the greatest artists in Latin America, such as Gunther Gerzso, Diego Rivera, Rufino Tamayo, Roberto Matta and Carlos Merida. Auction 08 is MOLAA’s premier fundraising event. All proceeds support the museum’s ongoing exhibitions and educational programs.

In recent years, Latin American Art has become highly regarded and sought after by collectors and art enthusiasts alike throughout the world. This is made evident by record breaking figures at international auction houses, for works by artists such as Frida Kahlo and most recently, Rufino Tamayo. Prior to the Auction Gala on Saturday, October 18, MOLAA will hold a public discussion on these important trends in art collecting with a Round Table Discussion, Collecting and Evaluating Latin American Art in the 21st Century. Alex Slato, Vice President of Exhibitions and Special Projects and auction specialist, will serve as moderator.

The 2008 MOLAA auction weekend begins on Saturday, October 18, with a ticketed gala kick-off event. It concludes on Sunday, October 19 with an afternoon auction, which is free and open to the public. For those unable to attend, MOLAA will webcast the auction live at http://www.molaa.org/auction, courtesy of eBay Live Auctions.