Mexican Modern Painting from the Andrés Blaisten Collection

San Diego, Calif- The San Diego Museum of Artis pleased to host the exhibition Mexican Modern Painting from the Andrés Blaisten Collection from November 5, 2011 through February 19, 2012.With the collection’s tremendous selection of modern art by many of Mexico’s most noted painters, the Andrés Blaisten Collection is one of the premiere collections of twentieth-century Mexican art. Visitors to the Museum will experience a selection of 80 paintings dated between 1907 and 1956, including those from María Izquierdo, Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros, and Rufino Tamayo, which offer a diverse representation of Mexican modernism.

The history of Mexican art is vast and important. Yetvisual art, in particular, has proven to be a significant part of the cultural fabric of the country garnering considerable international attention, perhaps none more so than those works produced between 1920 and 1950. During this period Mexico experienced a renaissance in the visual arts as artists, many of whom had studied in Europe, began applying European derived ideologies and techniques to a Mexican aesthetic. Modern Mexican art, however, does not begin and end with the works of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.

Mexican Modern Painting from the Andrés Blaisten Collection is a comprehensive survey of Mexican modernism and allows for deeper understanding of the many factors that have contributed to, enhanced, and furthered what we consider to be modern Mexican painting. This exhibition encourages examination and discussion regarding the presence of surrealism in Mexico, the role of Mexico City as a major art center, the influence of the open-air art school, the role of easel painting in the careers of artists more often associated with Mexican muralism, the contributions of foreign artists like Olga Costa and Jean Charlot, and the emphasis on indigenismo—the increased interest, following the end of the Mexican Revolution in 1920, in portraying the indigenous cultures—in the development of Mexican modernism. The works complement the Museum’s own holdings in our permanent collection of works by Rivera, Tamayo, Ramos Martínez, and Mérida and offers a tremendous opportunity for San Diego residents and visitors to learn about Modern Mexican painting from an extensive collection.

This exhibition was organized by the Phoenix Art Museum and The San Diego Museum of Art in cooperation with the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de México. Additional curatorial support for the exhibition’s presentation in San Diego has been provided by Amy Galpin, Project Curator, and Julia Marciari-Alexander, Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs at The San Diego Museum of Art.

Modern Mexican Painting from the Andrés Blaiste nCollection is made possible thanks to the generous support of the County of San Diego Community Enhancement Program, and Members of The San Diego Museum of Art. Institutional support for the Museum is provided by the City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture.

Museum Information:

The San Diego Museum of Art is located at 1450 El Prado in Balboa Park, San Diego, Calif., 92101

General Information, (619) 232-7931, Group Sales: (619) 696-1935, Website: http://www.TheSanDiegoMuseumofArt.org, Twitter: @SDMA

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The San Diego Museum of Art provides a rich and diverse cultural experience for 350,000 visitors annually. Located in the heart of beautiful Balboa Park, the Museum’s nationally renowned collections include Spanish and Italian old masters, South Asian paintings, and 19th and 20th century American paintings and sculptures. The Museum regularly features major exhibitions of art from around the world, as well as an extensive year-round schedule supporting cultural and educational programs for children and adults. At The San Diego Museum of Art, exhibition text is always in English and Spanish.

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