Dear Xolo: With letter exchange program, NC Museum of Art wants to hear from kids

The NC Museum of Art is encouraging kids to write in and share their pandemic activities.

Posted 1:39 p.m. May 29, 2020 — Updated 1:39 p.m. May 29, 2020

Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

, Go Ask Mom editor

Like most of the museums around here, the N.C. Museum of Art launched a variety of virtual programs through its NCMA Recommends Series after it temporarily closed the doors to its physical museum in mid-March during the pandemic.

The weekly activities, updated each Friday, take a deep dive into visitor-chosen artwork, offering up explainers about the piece, videos, crafts, family activities and more.

And this week's activity is particularly family friendly. The featured art is a Mexican dog statue that dates back to around 200 B.C.E. Today, the museum has launched all kinds of dog-related content, including a pet portrait challenge, a drawing room and an opportunity to write to the dog, which the art museum has named Xolo (pronounced show low). The ceramic sculpture depicts a Mexican hairless dog, which is also known as Xoloitzcuintli.

Xolo will be accepting letters from kids and answering them as well.

Here's what the instructions say:

"Our friend Xolo, pronounced show low, is feeling lonely, and he wonders if you may be feeling lonely, too. Xolo speaks Spanish, is an expert traveler, a guardian, and knows all the paths in the entire world.

Please write a letter to Xolo, telling him about your time at home, your home-school experiences, past travels, and more. You can also ask Xolo questions. Xolo can respond to your letters in English or Spanish, and he can’t wait to share what he has learned as a traveler and a guardian—and about life at the NCMA."

Letters can be mailed to 2110 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh, NC 27607. Attn: Xolo.

More information is on the art museum's website.

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