Caja de visiones: arte moderno y contemporáneo de México en el Medio Oeste de los Estados Unidos
September 18, 2021 – January 23, 2022
About
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.
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 Angélica Contreras, J. Leigh Garcia, Wenceslao 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.
ACCESSIBILITY
Exhibition labels are available in English and Spanish.
Contemporary Artwork
Programming & Events
Exhibition Celebration | Opening Reception
Friday, September 17, 2021 • 5–8 PM
Poetry Speaks: A Response to Caja de visiones
Friday, October 8, 2021 • 6:30–7:30 PM
Community Cartonera Workshop
Saturday, October 16, 2021 • 2–4 PM
Virtual Lecture: Labor Migration from Mexico to the Heartland
Thursday, November 18, 2021 • 6–7 PM
Spotlight Cinema: Identifying Features
Wednesday, December 1, 2021 • 7 PM
Film selection inspired by the exhibition
Spotlight Cinema: Identifying Features
Wednesday, December 1, 2021 • 7 PM
Film selection inspired by the exhibition
Community Cartonera Workshop
Saturday, January 22, 2022 • 1–3 PM
Guided Exhibition Tours
Saturday, January 22, 2022 • 1:30–2:30 PM
Videos
MMoCA x Mauricio Ramirez
Labor Migration from Mexico to the Heartland | Virtual Lecture with Professor Armando Ibarra
Educational Materials
Art Activities for Kids
Sandra and Wence Martinez-Inspired Weavings
Teaching Pages
David Alfaro Siqueiros Teaching Page
Artwork
Mujer con rebozo / Woman with Rebozo
1938
Emilio Amero
El árbol y las montañas / Tree and Mountains
1940s
Dr. Atl (Gerardo Murillo)
Camino de Coamitl (región huichol, estado de Nayarit) / Road to Coamitl (Huichol Region, State of Nayarit), from Mexican People
1946
Ángel Bracho
Caja de visiones / Box of Visions
1938, printed 1977
Manuel Álvarez Bravo
Señor de Papantla / Man from Papantla
1934-35, printed 1977
Manuel Álvarez Bravo
Dos pares de piernas / Two Pairs of Legs
1928-29, printed 1977
Manuel Álvarez Bravo
Retrato de lo eterno / Portrait of the Eternal
1935, printed 1977
Manuel Álvarez Bravo
La mujer del rebozo rojo / Woman with Red Shawl
1953
Celia Calderón
La cirugía casera / Home Surgery
1935
Julio Castellanos
Trabajando con Ixtle (Valle de Mezquital, estado de Hidalgo) / Working with Ixtle (Valle de Mezquital, State of Hidalgo), from Mexican People
1946
Fernando Castro Pacheco
Procesión en Chalma / Procession at Chalma
1947
Jean Charlot
Nahual en acecho / Nahual Lying in Wait
1949
José Chávez Morado
Corona de hierros / Crown of Iron
1949
José Chávez Morado
Río Tehuantepec / Tehuantepec River
1945
Miguel Covarrubias
India de Oaxaca / An Indian Girl from Oaxaca
1938
Lola Cueto
Mujer campesina / Peasant Woman
1939
Francisco Dosamantes
Tres yayaltecas / Three Yayaltecan Women
1946
Francisco Dosamantes
Destrucción de la cultura (Guerra) / Destruction of Culture (War)
1939
Francisco Dosamantes
Paisaje de Tacubaya / Tacubaya Landscape
1939
Manuel Echauri
Mujer sentada / Seated Woman
1951
Jesús Guerrero Galván
Niño sentado son juguete / Seated Child with Toy
1946
Jesús Guerrero Galván
Bailarina en reposo / Dancer Resting
1930s
Roberto Montenegro
Pequeña maestra, ¡qué inmensa es su voluntad! / Little School Teacher, How Great is Your Will!, from Río Escondido
1948
Leopoldo Méndez
Deportación a la muerte / Deportation to Death
1942
Leopoldo Méndez
El mercado (Cuautla, estado de Morelos) / The Market (Cuautla, State of Morelos), from Mexican People
1946
Pablo O’Higgins
Alfarero (distrito de Chanenetla, Puebla, estado de Puebla) / Pottery Maker (Chanenetla District, Puebla, State of Puebla), from Mexican People
1946
Isidoro Ocampo
Retrato de Gabriela / Portrait of Gabriela
1934
Carlos Orozco Romero
Dos fanáticos (Ripalda) / Two Fanatics (Ripalda)
c. 1935
Gonzalo de la Paz Pérez
La locomotora (portada de librete de canciones) / The Locomotive (songbook cover)
1890s (20th-century restrike)
José Guadalupe Posada
Los siete vicios capitales / The Seven Deadly Sins
c. 1900 (20th-century restrike)
José Guadalupe Posada
En el Mezquital / In the Mezquital
1954
Fanny Rabel
Escuela al aire libre / Open Air School
1932
Diego Rivera
Desnudo con pelo largo (Dolores Olmedo) / Nude with Long Hair (Dolores Olmedo)
1930
Diego Rivera
Retrato de Moisés Sáenz / Portrait of Moisés Sáenz
1931
David Alfaro Siqueiros
Cabeza II (Pesar) / Head II (Grief)
c. 1926-28
Rufino Tamayo
Hombre con maguey / Man with Maguey
c. 1926-30
Rufino Tamayo
Aserradores (Ciudad del Carmen, estado de Campeche) / Lumber Workers (Ciudad del Carmen, State of Campeche), from Mexican People
1946
Alfredo Zalce
Bordadora tehuana / Tehuana Embroiderer
sin fecha / undated
Ángel Zamarripa
Peregrinos (Regresando al cerro) / Pilgrims (Return to the Mount)
1940
Abelardo Ávila
Exhibition Catalogue
Published in conjunction with the exhibition, 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, features selections from the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art’s (MMoCA) 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.
This richly illustrated catalog features the museum’s collection of Mexican modern art, which 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 in 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 Angélica Contreras, J. Leigh Garcia, Wenceslao Martinez and his partner Sandra Martinez, Roberto Torres Mata, and Mauricio Ramirez reveal undeniable and impactful connections to the modern art of Mexico.
Including essays by the organizing curator Diane Milliotes and MMoCA Assistant Curator Elizabeth Shoshany Anderson as well as a foreword by Mel Becker Solomon, the catalogue was designed by Art & Sons.
Press
Press Release
Press Coverage
MMoCA presents “Caja de visiones,” modern and contemporary art from Mexico in the Midwest
– Madison365
Support
Presenting Sponsorship for Caja de visiones: arte moderno y contemporáneo de México en el Medio Oeste de los Estados Unidos has been provided by Jan and Bill DeAtley; the Madison Community Foundation; and the National Endowment for the Arts. Major support has been provided by a grant from Wisconsin Humanities, with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the State of Wisconsin.