Pablo O'Higgins
American 1904–1983
El Mercado (The Market) from Mexican People portfolio, 1946
Lithograph on paper
15 x 17 5/8 inches 
Gift of Jack B. Pierson, 1987.31.8 

© 2024 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / SOMAAP, Mexico City

Mexicanidad

May 9, 2024 - September 8, 2024

Graphics Gallery

Considered the most influential and progressive printmaking collective of its time, the Taller de Graficá Popular (TGP) was established in Mexico City in 1937. Following in the footsteps of Jose Posada, Los Tres Grandes and other political artists such as Francisco Goya and Honoré Daumier, the artists of the TGP used the medium of printmaking to address social and political issues as well as to explore their cultural heritage and create a Mexican identity. In 1946 the portfolio Mexican People was published, featuring 12 prints from artists of the TGP. This exhibition will examine the history of the TGP, the portfolio and their messages. 

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Colima Mexico. Dog, ca. 200 BCE – 200 CE. Ceramic, 10 1/2 x 7 1/2 x 16 in. Gift of The Ted Weiner Family 2022.134

From Earth to Sky: Ancient Art of the Americas

May 11, 2024 - August 25, 2024

Hodge Gallery Temporary Exhibition Gallery

This exhibition features ancient ceramic sculptures from Mexico and Costa Rica (200 BCE–200 CE). Since they did not leave a written record, these clay objects, many of which depict ancestral figures, ball players, warriors, animals, and shamans, offer a glimpse into the lives of people living more than 2,000 years ago. Also included are vessels used to store or serve food or drink, as well as other objects that would have been used in ceremonies or community events. Like other ancient cultures, their strong belief in the afterlife is evidenced by the practice of placing objects of significance in the tomb.  These underground shaft-tombs contained clay sculptures that were intended to serve as companions, guides, and guardians of the spirit of the deceased. Many objects in this exhibition now tell us something about how these cultures/peoples viewed themselves and their environment, how they honored the dead, and how they celebrated life. 

All of the artwork in From Earth to Sky was collected in the mid-20th century by Texas oil operator Ted Weiner. His interest in art sparked in the early 1940s, when he purchased a landscape painting while redecorating his parent’s home. By 1951 he began actively collecting both contemporary and ancient sculpture. He amassed one of the largest collections of sculpture west of the Mississippi and was involved in arts organizations until his death in 1979. In 2022 Ted’s daughter Gwen donated his collection to the FIA.

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South India, Karnataka/Maharashtra. Tussi/Thushi Necklace, late 19th century. Gold, precious stones, 19 in. Gift of Dr. Prasad and Jayashree Kommareddi. 2021.277

Meditations in Gold: South Asian Jewelry

May 16, 2024 - February 2, 2025

Ann K. Walch-Chan Gallery

From prehistoric necklaces made of shells and bones to contemporary ornaments of gold and gemstones, jewelry is a universal form of adornment and one of the most accessible forms of art. Since the beginning it has had many functions; to represent cultural beliefs, to indicate status and wealth, to act as a fashion statement, to serve religious purposes, to symbolize relationships and rites of passage, to serve as a type of currency, and as heirlooms connecting families to their heritage, or in some cases to protect the wearer.

With its own mines yielding gold, diamonds, and many other precious and semiprecious stones India has been a vibrant center for wearable arts for centuries. Whether it is an opulent creation covering much of the body or a simple amulet worn around the neck on a cotton string, every detail holds important cultural connections. This exhibition will include jewelry worn for religious, ceremonial, and daily purposes and because every element of jewelry design in India is intentional, it will consider the importance of motifs from the natural and spiritual world. It will also explore why materials—like gold and pearls—are deeply symbolic and how they are utilized to create meaning beyond aesthetics.

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