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Photographs from the Colburn Collection

In the Age of Revolution presents photography of Mexico created by foreign photographers both before and after the time of the Mexican Revolution. The Mexican Revolution resulted in tremendous loss of life and brought great destruction to the communities throughout the country. While the time frame of the Revolution is traditionally conceived as 1910–1920, in many ways the age of revolution continued after 1920.  For example, the fight for better land distribution, which was one of the catalysts of the Revolution, continues to this day. Moreover, from 1920–1945, a revolution in the arts occurred in Mexico with the implementation of a major mural program, the founding of a leading printmaking workshop, and an influx of foreign artists to the region. Each of the photographers included in this installation—Hugo Brehme, Abel Briquet, O.B. Hachenberger, and Sumner W. Matteson—worked during a time in which Mexico developed as a modern nation.

While these photographs represent an era in which Mexico experienced great historical, cultural, and political change, the majority of the works tend to document a more tranquil and picturesque environment. The focus on this type of subject matter by artists working in Mexico coincided with a renewed interest to portray the people and landscapes of the country as a part of a larger investigation into national identity.

The year 2010 marks the Bicentennial and Centennial anniversaries of the beginning of the independence movement in Mexico and the start of the Mexican Revolution. In conjunction with these landmark events, The San Diego Museum of Art is pleased to host this exhibition of photography.

This exhibition was curated by Amy Galpin, Project Curator for American Art

B. Hachenberger Six Young Women Gelatin silver print, ca.1940 Gift of Forrest D. Colburn. 2009:29