Joslyn Art Museum presents An Exhibition of Arte Popular / Mexican Folk Art |
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| Written by rubin |
| Sunday, 05 July 2009 00:14 |
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Created from a wide array of materials such as clay, plant fibers, wood, metals, cotton, wool, silk, paper, stone, leather, shell, wax, and feathers, the objects are ceremonial and profane, utilitarian and decorative, parodic and whimsical, reflecting communal lives and values. Many of the artists use techniques handed down for generations, often within the same families and villages. The resulting works reveal the artists’ connections to their communities, land, traditions, and cultures. The Wagners note that, quite often, a piece in their collection will reference a folk tale, ritual, or festival. For them, much of the fun is learning more about the folklore and culture that inspired the work.  ”Our interest in Mexican folk art began in the 1960s
when Judd’s mother brought us a nativity set from one of her several trips to
Mexico. We loved the colors and the primitive nature of the pieces. She
continued to bring us various pieces of folk art in tin, fabric, and ceramics,”
said Pat. Since then the Wagners have become serious connoisseurs and collectors
of Mexican folk art. For over 30 years their collection has grown to range from
fabulous “street art” of self-trained artists and craftsmen to pieces created by
the recognized masters of the genre. A visit to the Mexican Fine Arts Center in
Chicago in 2002 to see the exhibition Great Masters of Mexican Folk Art led to
the couple’s awareness of a more evolved type of folk art. They began collecting
the work of recognized masters of the craft, including Manuel Jiménez Ramírez,
Defina Cruz, Maurico Hernández Colmenero, Irene Aguilar Alcantara, Guillermina
Aguilar, Josephina Aguilar, and David Linares. From the 1990s to today, the Wagners have traveled to many areas of Mexico collecting art from each region. From the border towns of Texas to the ancient ruins and villages of Mexico, they have acquired folk art that mirrors the country’s history and represents the intricate social, economic, and cultural networks of artists living in the countryside, in the working-class neighborhoods of the cities, and in the numerous enclaves of indigenous people. As Nebraska’s largest and most distinguished art museum, Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha has served as the premier center for visual art since opening in 1931. Joslyn's collection features work from antiquity to the present, with an emphasis on 19th- and 20th-century European and American art. Highlights of the permanent collection include works by Lorenzo di Credi, El Greco, Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, Albert Bierstadt, and Thomas Hart Benton. American masters such as Grant Wood, Jackson Pollock, Dale Chihuly, and George Segal are also represented. Visit : http://www.joslyn.org/ Click on logo below to add this article to your favorite Social Website ~ |
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