ONLINE: Labor Migration from Mexico to the Heartland

×

Expand

Courtesy J. Leigh Garcia/MMoCA

J. Leigh Garcia, "El sueño americano," 2016. Screenprint, 18 x 14 inches.

press release: The past and present intertwine in Caja de visiones: arte moderno y contemporáneo de México en el Medio Oeste de los Estados Unidos, or Box of Visions: Modern and Contemporary Art from Mexico in the Midwest. The exhibition features selections from MMoCA’s significant collection of Mexican modern art in a show that explores the history of the artistic renaissance in Mexico during the first half of the twentieth century and its connection to works being created by Mexican and Mexican-American artists working in the Midwest today.

Nov. 18: A virtual lecture, “Labor Migration from Mexico to the Heartland,” by Professor Armando Ibarra of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. On Zoom. Register for a link.

The museum’s collection of Mexican modern art is one of the finest and most extensive in the Midwest and includes 223 works by over 60 artists—primarily prints, photographs, and drawings by luminaries such as Manuel Álvarez Bravo, Leopoldo Méndez, José Clemente Orozco, Diego Rivera, and Rufino Tamayo, as well as an important oil painting by Frida Kahlo.

These significant modern art works are paired with contemporary artists based the United States who address analogous themes in their work, nearly a century later, as they relay their own stories that thoughtfully address topics like the border crisis, exploited Mexican labor, and the celebration of their heritage and cultural pride. Featured works by Angelica Contreras, J. Leigh Garcia, Wence Martinez and his partner Sandra Martinez, Roberto Torres Mata, and Mauricio Ramirez reveal undeniable and impactful connections to the modern art of Mexico. Read their artist bios here.

The Museum’s collection of Mexican modern art is one of the finest and most extensive in the Midwest and includes 223 works by over 60 artists—primarily prints, photographs, and drawings by luminaries such as Manuel Álvarez Bravo, Leopoldo Méndez, José Clemente Orozco, Diego Rivera, and Rufino Tamayo, as well as an important oil painting by Frida Kahlo.

Presenting Sponsorship for Caja de visiones has been provided by a grant from Jan and Bill DeAtley; the Madison Community Foundation; and the National Endowment for the Arts. 

Major support for Caja de Visiones has been provided by a grant from Wisconsin Humanities, with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the State of Wisconsin.