Anita de Monte Laughs Last

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes descriptions of disordered eating, misogyny, racism, and murder.

New York City, Fall 1985

Anita is at a party thrown by Tilly Barber, her husband’s gallerist. Although Tilly’s parties have changed little since the 1970s, few decline her invitations. Today, this particular group is a jumbled mix of “haves” and “have nots,” and there is an overabundance of alcohol and little to eat. Recently, the art world has slowly begun to diversify, and artists of color are beginning to make their appearance at these gatherings. Now, Anita is distractedly listening to a story as she waits for her husband Jack to arrive. Jack, a physically imposing man who has an equally large stature within the art world, makes his entrance slowly and with gravitas, enjoying the attention as he always does. He first finds Tilly rather than Anita. Noticing this, Anita heads into the kitchen to speak with both Tilly and Jack. Jack congratulates Anita for selling a few new pieces, and both he and Tilly are surprised that Anita is going to have a solo show at an important gallery. Anita asks for the music to be turned up, thinking wryly that although this might irritate Tilly, she will tolerate it because she, like so many others, enjoys seeing the stereotypes about Latinx women confirmed, and she will be pleased that Anita is dancing passionately.