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Recent Acquisitions Releases Press Release Archive |
TMA Opens Mexican Folk Art Exhibition Tyler, TX—Tyler Museum of Art will open its second major exhibition of the year when Past/Present/Future: Folk Art of Mexico, Selected Works from the Laura and Dan Boeckman Collection of Mexican and Latin American Folk Art opens with a free public reception and preview Friday from 5:30–7:30 p.m. The show, which is being organized by the Tyler Museum of Art and guest curator Stephen Vollmer, will run through January 6, 2008 in the Museum's North Gallery. The Boeckman Collection is considered one of the nation's premier collections of modern and contemporary Latin American art, according to Kimberley Tomio, TMA director. She said the Museum was honored to be chosen to organize, curate and present the collection to the public. The Dallas couple developed the collection during many trips to various Central and South American locales. While their entire collection consists of more than 700 pieces, Ms. Tomio said only 88 pieces will be shown at one time at the TMA due to limited gallery space. The Museum will rotate certain pieces in and out of the show, so that visitors will see different artwork during the duration of the exhibition. A special bi-lingual gallery guide will be available for exhibition attendees, and artwork labels will be printed in both English and Spanish. "Nearly 20 years ago Laura and Dan Boeckman began collecting Mexican folk art with a love and respect for a people who have produced some the world's most widely celebrated art," Vollmer said. "As an aperture to that world, this exhibition explores the talent of the Mexican people and provides Museum visitors an opportunity to appreciate an art that represents the heritage of individuals and a society that dreams of the future." Vollmer described folk art as having different meanings in different societies. While in the United States, folk art often is considered the creation of iconoclastic or amateur artists working alone and has a rustic appeal to a limited audience, folk art in Latin American countries is more accepted as national artistic treasure. He said folk artists are well-respected, highly sought-after celebrities in their communities. Many Latin American folk artists work in family groups, with one generation passing on artistic skills and secrets to the next. For example, Vollmer said Andres Huerta Ortega and his family compose mosaic icons of the saints, including the Virgin of Guadalupe (c. 1993), using varieties of wild grass seeds the family selects from nearby mountain slopes and the fields they tend. Renowned Mexican folk artist Manuel Jiménez (1919–2005) was considered a master woodcarver; his Polar Bear (c. 1992) is a favorite of many in the Boeckman Collection. Before his death, Jiménez taught his sons how he captured the essence of an animal's spirit and expression in his work, and now his sons' work is similarly in demand. "It (Mexican folk art) is an art celebrating everyday routines and ritual festivals commemorating the past and present, while projecting the hopes of tomorrow," Vollmer added. "The depth of this work reveals that most Mexican folk artists are profoundly spiritual people." A variety of entertainment is planned for the public preview and reception, including performances by Tyler Ballet Folklorico, Mexican folk music performed by Willie Alvarado, and a brief discussion of the art by Stephen Vollmer. Special guests at the opening reception will include Laura and Dan Boeckman. Official opening day of the exhibition is May 5, planned to coordinate with area celebrations of Cinco de Mayo, including the East Texas Symphony Orchestra's presentation of Mariachi Champana Nevin at 7:30 p.m. May 5 at the Cowan Fine and Performing Arts Center. Future events for the exhibition include a Family Day set for May 20, and TMA Summer Art Camps will tie in fun children's activities with folk art. Sponsors for the Past/Present/Future: Folk Art of Mexico exhibition include Amy and Vernon Faulconer, Bank of America, Texas Bank and Trust, Su Holder, Cathy Shipp and Associates, The Genecov Group, and Fairfield Inn by Marriott. Sponsors of the public opening reception include Don Juan Mexican Restaurant, La Michoacana, and Pico de Gallo Bar and Grill. Reservations are requested for the reception by calling the Museum at 903-595-1001. Tyler Museum of Art is located at 1300 S. Mahon, at the corner of Apache Pass, adjacent to the Tyler Junior College campus. |