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Expansive Exhibition at the Saginaw Art
Museum Explores: MEXICO: Art & Civilization
By Robert E. Martin
The role and degree to which Mexican culture has permeated and enriched the taste and texture of the melting pot that comprises our contemporary American experience is a formidable one. From the ancient periods of Mayan & Aztec culture, through the worker inspired treatments of the labor movement as defined by Diego Rivera, to the contemporary artwork that brightened the Tom Tom Club's first album, the legacy of Mexican Folk Art is one that spans many centuries and continually reinvents itself in organic ways throughout the American fabric.
As part of their focus to present
exhibitions that celebrate the diversity of Saginaw's cultural roots
while accenting common values we all share for artistic quality, The
Saginaw Art Museum is currently presenting an expansive & impressive
exhibition of Mexican Folk Art entitled Mexico: Art & Civilization.
Comprised of more than 150 pieces spanning a variety of media
ranging from pottery, straw, ceramics, painting, and sculpture, the
exhibit is drawn largely from the noted private collection of Linda &
Michael Margolin, whom over the past thirty years have acquired one
of the most notable private collections in the world.
Apart from showcasing the incredible
variety of Mexican indigenous arts, this special exhibition also reveals
most of the stylistic and conceptual trends of Mexico's past, as they
were reinterpreted in the 20th
Century.
"Every world culture produces some form
of a folk art tradition," reflects Michael Bell, Curator of
Collections & Exhibitions. "In Mexico those folk styles & methods are
instantaneously recognizable, abundant, diverse and unique. We
intentionally shied away from presenting an exhibition on contemporary
'fine' Mexican artwork, because Folk Art is always passed from family to
family, thus carrying forward the social and aesthetic continuity of a
people from ancient times to present."
"The Spanish and their accompanying
spread of Christian iconography inspired many of the works presented in
this exhibition," he continues. "To some extend the work is also
inspired by the contemporary culture of the world, but there is abundant
evidence of strong influences from the traditional imagery of the
Toltecs, Aztecs, Olmecs, Zapotees and other indigenous societies that
have existed over the millennia in the region now called Mexico."
This current Mexican Folk Art exhibition
is the last in a trilogy of cultural exhibits at the Saginaw Art
Museum this season. "We strived to represent three cultures, three
mediums, and three time periods during our exhibition season," comments
Marsha Braun, Development Director at the Museum. "Earlier we did a
Chinese exhibition and presented the beadwork of woodland Indian tribes
in another, so this rounds out the presentation. We are always striving
to find exhibits that showcase the diversity and relevance of artwork on
many different levels."
In putting such an expansive exhibition
together, Bell decided to form an advisory committee that included
people throughout the state and local levels that could help with the
planning and activities surrounding it. "We had an advisory committee
of almost 30 people that met every month for almost 18 months," explains
Michael, "and we were fortunate to discover this Margolin collection in
Michigan that contained nearly 4000 pieces."
Through the efforts of Geraldo
Macias-Garcia, Bell was able to contact the Margolins and secure
additional contributions from The Detroit Institute of Art and
Manuel Lopez. "The Margolins are unique insofar as nobody in our
area has such a vast collection as they do," notes Bell. "They have
accumulated thousands of pieces, so I went down to their home in
Detroit, viewed their collection, and selected 150 representative
pieces. You can find collections this vast in museums out west, but
rarely do you find private individuals collecting work of this caliber."
"What appeals to me in this exhibition is
that I represents artwork that people can get their hands around,"
reflects Braun. "You don't have to do a lot of study to appreciate this
art and it is very approachable and thought provoking. And when you
understand the background from the Day of the Dead pieces, you realize it is also simplistic
and beautiful. Colors are very vivid and bright and we are finding this
is a really fun exhibition for families in particular, because children
relate to it well while adults view it in a different light."
For those unfamiliar with the Day of
the Dead celebration, the figures sculpted and rendered are easily
reminiscent of characters one could find in a Tim Burton
animation. "The Day of the Dead is a celebration made to beloved ones
that have passed on," explains Marsha. "It's a way to make a connection
to the afterlife with loved ones by erecting these ofrendas, or alters,
with pieces that are specific to the individuals, such as baked bread,
bottled water, or whatever they were drawn to or distinguished by. Our
Halloween holiday grew out of this celebration for departed loved ones,
and we are also conducting classes that tie in with the exhibition.
Kids can make maracas and we are featuring an adult class in the
Education Wing of the museum whereby people can learn to make their own
ofrenda."
When asked what continuity he views
through Mexican Folk Art as it compares to American artwork, Bell cites
it by giving an analogy. "The best way to describe it is to compare it
to American Indian pottery. The indigenous Pueblo pottery from 300 years
ago is very much like Nimbus pottery in the sense you see continuity
from Mayan, Aztec, and even Incan influences. They are still very
strong in ceramics, wood and textiles, and even jewelry; but we know
ancient civilizations made these pieces. Plus you see a strong
conceptual continuity insofar as they remain very involved with flora
and fauna; and their use of color gets even more prismatic with changes
in technology."
"We feel it important that people realize the historical and cultural
connection between the Mexican and Saginaw community," concludes Bell.
"Fifty or sixty years ago the Potter Street station area was a very
thriving Mexican community, and the nationals were invited to come here
by the auto and sugar beat industry, built families, had naturalized
American children, but many were sent back to Mexico in the 1930s over
an immigration scare which destroyed their lives, even though their
descendants still live here."
"The impact of their cultural
contribution is undeniable," he concludes.
Decidedly a thought provoking exhibition,
Mexico: Art & Civilization also includes a self-portrait lithograph
by famed Mexican muralist Diego Rivera, and Papel Picado
(perforated paper hangings) loaned by Manuel Lopez.
Hours for the exhibition are Tuesday -
Saturday from 10 am - 5 pm; Sunday from 1-5 pm, with
extended hours until 8 pm on Thursday evenings. Admission
is only $5.00 for adults, museum members & children under 16 are
free, and Wednesdays are free to all visitors.
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