The Collection: The Muse of New Mexico

ABOUT THE INSTALLATION

New Mexico has long been a magnet for artists and writers. They drew inspiration from the state’s desert landscapes and from the culture, experiences, and artwork of Indigenous peoples from the northern New Mexico pueblos of Nambé, Ohkay Owingeh, Picuris, Pojoaque, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara, Tesuque, and Taos.

Artists worked in styles ranging from representational to modern, crafting realist studies and expressive stylistic experiments, all grounded in a vibrant connection to place. Drawn from the Phoenix Art Museum Collection, The Muse of New Mexico features works by artists who were allured to the Southwest, with some making the region their permanent home, including Carlos Vierra, Agnes Martin, Arturo Chávez, and Robert Henri, among others. This influx of artists helped establish the region as a significant creative center, with New Mexico’s sensational landscapes prominently showcased throughout this time.

The installation is also presented in conversation with the visiting exhibition, William Herbert “Buck” Dunton: A Mainer Goes West.