Recent donations of Mata Ortiz pottery and prints to the New Mexico State University Art Museum are the focus of the new exhibition “Mata Ortiz: Highlights from the Lysbeth Warren Anderson Collection.” The collection marks the first works of Mata Ortiz pottery added into NMSU’s Permanent Art Collection.
The Mata Ortiz exhibition is on display in the UAM’s Bunny Conlon Modern and Contemporary Art Gallery in Devasthali Hall through July 20. The exhibition showcases the artistry of more than 20 potters in the distinct Mata Ortiz style that blends tradition with modern and contemporary innovation. This exhibition is free and open to the public.
Mexican potter Juan Quezada was a railroad worker in the 1970s when he began recreating the traditional pottery found at Casas Grandes, a prehistoric archeological ruin near Chihuahua. Since then, Quezada has led a resurgence of traditional Casas Grandes and Paquimé pottery now known as Mata Ortiz.
“The potters of Mata Ortiz work in the balance of using techniques passed down from generations, while forging their own contemporary aesthetics,” said Eva G. Flynn, outreach and education coordinator.
These styles fascinated Warren Anderson, who earned her bachelor’s degree in social science and social thought from Stanford University in 1954. Her extensive world travels and dedication to researching various areas of study allow her to blend interests in art, anthropology, geology and history. Her extensive collection includes nine rare prints by Quezada in the current exhibition.
Following Quezada’s passing in 2022, the UAM exhibition contemplates the enduring influence of his re-articulation of Indigenous artistic techniques and reflects the community of hundreds of Mata Ortiz artists, inspired by Quezada, who contribute to the growth of the art movement and continue to foster a community of appreciation.
“Handmade without a potter’s wheel,” Flynn explained, “the pottery showcases the innovative styles artists have developed based on the original Indigenous-inspired designs, highlighting the transformation of the tradition over the past five decades.”
The UAM is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday in NMSU’s Devasthali Hall at 1308 E. University Avenue. For more information, visit uam.nmsu.edu or email artmuseum@nmsu.edu.
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CUTLINE 1: “Mata Ortiz: Highlights from the Lysbeth Warren Anderson Collection” is on display in the NMSU Art Museum in Devasthali Hall through July 20. The exhibition showcases the artistry of more than 20 potters in the distinct Mata Ortiz style that blends tradition with modern and contemporary innovation. (NMSU photo by Chloe Dunlap)
CUTLINE 2: Recent donations of Mata Ortiz pottery and prints to the University Art Museum mark the first works of Mata Ortiz pottery added into NMSU’s Permanent Art Collection. Visitors can see the collection from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday in Devasthali Hall at 1308 E. University Avenue. (NMSU photo by Chloe Dunlap)