Mexican art, hold the clichés

If it's Mexican art, it must depict strong, noble peasants at work in the fields. Or, perhaps Australian art - surely, that will mean Aboriginal handiwork. Native American art means clay pots and elegant rugs. Right? These are just a few of the hoary stereotypes that artists from emerging countries find themselves stubbornly fighting, even today, in an era of lightning-swift communication between distant countries and cultures.

Artists have always struggled to be seen as individuals rather than stereotypes. But now this desire is receiving increased institutional support. As a result of cultural and economic shifts in the art world, exploding globalism, and the high costs of more traditional shows, a growing number of exhibitions both in the US and abroad are devoted to replacing clichéd preconceptions with the vital, modern work of contemporary artists from a wide variety of cultures.

"Artists in every country have always tried to tell their own story," says Russell Ferguson, curator at the UCLA Hammer Museum, host to "Made in Mexico," an exhibition showcasing the work of contemporary Mexican art. "The question has always been: 'What do people in the more dominant countries want to receive from that country?' "

The changing economics of museums have opened the door of opportunity, say some observers. "It's getting more popular to do traveling shows that are more indigenous in nature," says Arthur Brooks, associate professor of public administration at Syracuse University's Maxwell School. The arts and culture specialist says that as security costs, as well as loan and travel costs, have made blockbuster shows prohibitively expensive, museums have been searching out the smaller, more unusual shows to attract audiences.

"One way to do that is to look at developing countries. If you have a population that's interested in coming to the museums, you can get a high-quality traveling exhibition for a fraction of the cost of a Monet," says Professor Brooks.

The title of the Hammer show is intentionally ironic. It aims to make the viewer reconsider preconceptions. Works such as the wry photographs of Daniela Rossell, depicting a decadent upper class at play in its luxurious mansions, or the sculptures of Damian Ortega, created from industrial materials, reveal a vital, modern art world south of the US border that shatters traditional stereotypes about "native art."

Artists have always struggled to balance cultural identity with personal vision, says Gilbert Vicario, curator of "Made in Mexico." Now, that impulse has only become more difficult as free trade and instant global communications have eroded the concept of an insular, national identity.

The show also explores the effect of Mexican artists on other cultures.

"I decided to play with the notion of art and nationalism and nationality," says Mr. Vicario, pointing to his inclusion of nonMexicans such as Japanese artist Yasumasa Morimura, whose career has been devoted to exploring the images of Frida Kahlo. His work, as well as that of others, explores what happens when artists from all sorts of backgrounds and nationalities make art that is inspired by Mexico, but is fundamentally universal.

"The real message behind the exhibition is that everything in the art world is much more complicated than anyone wants to think, but there are lots of people who don't want to take the time to sort it out," says Vicario. "These ideas [from each country] are up for grabs," he adds, "and the works become more powerful because they transcend geographic and cultural borders."

Even smaller museums with permanent collections devoted to niches such as Latin, native American, or African-American art find themselves fighting similar cultural battles.

Page: 1 | 2