The art of Mexico and the border region occupies a unique place in the broader story of Southwest culture. Our Mexican art collection brings together paintings, prints, sculpture, and mixed media works by artists whose creative vision is rooted in the rich and complex cultural traditions of Mexico, from its Indigenous heritage and colonial history to its vibrant contemporary art scene.
Mexican art encompasses an extraordinarily broad range of visual traditions, from the ancient art of the Aztec, Maya, and other pre-Columbian civilizations to the devotional art of the colonial period, the politically charged muralism of the twentieth century, and the diverse contemporary art being produced in Mexico today. What gives Mexican art its distinctive character is the depth and complexity of the cultural currents that flow through it, Indigenous, Spanish, mestizo, and international influences woven together in ways that are unique to this part of the world.
In the context of a Southwest art collection, Mexican art occupies a natural place. The cultural and geographic connections between Mexico and the American Southwest are deep and longstanding, and the border between the two countries cuts through communities and cultures that had been continuous for centuries.
The relationship between Mexican art and the culture of the American Southwest is one of the defining threads in the history of this region. Long before the United States extended its borders to the Rio Grande and beyond, the territory that is now New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, and California was part of New Spain and then of Mexico. The art, architecture, devotional practice, and material culture of that period left an imprint on the region that remains clearly visible today.
The twentieth century brought a new chapter in this relationship. The Mexican muralist movement had a profound influence on American artists across the country, and its impact was particularly felt in the Southwest, where the cultural connections to Mexico were already strong.
Elias Rivera, who traveled extensively in Guatemala, Mexico, and Peru to paint local populations, brought bold color and a deeply humanist figurative vision to subjects that bridge the cultural worlds on both sides of the border. Miguel Martinez, born and raised in Taos and influenced by Diego Rivera and Francisco Zuniga, is recognized worldwide for modernist paintings of the women of the Southwest whose mysterious and provocative expressions have earned him a universal following.
Collectors interested in the devotional and colonial dimensions of this collection will find natural connections in our Spanish Colonial collection, which explores the shared heritage of New Mexico and Mexico in depth. Those drawn to the folk art traditions that cross the border region may also wish to explore our folk art collection. And for works that engage with the figurative tradition that has been so central to Mexican art, our figurative collection offers a broad selection of paintings, prints, and sculpture in which the human form is the primary subject.