Art History Students Display Arts and Artists of Ancient Americas at Fayetteville Library

School of Art

Art history students installing exhibition at Fayetteville Public Library

An exhibition of artworks from Mesoamerica (pre-Hispanic Mexico) and the south of the United States will be on display at the Fayetteville Public Library's Lucky Day Gallery through March 29. It is the result of a collaboration between the U of A Art History Program and the U of A Museum.

The exhibition, Precious Possessions; The Arts and Artists of the Ancient Americas and Their Stories, seeks to highlight the creativity and artistic skills of Mesoamerican artists and stimulate new conversations about the art of the Ancient Americas. It challenges old interpretations that viewed this art as “functional,” “exotic” and “curious,” focusing instead on its sophistication and aesthetic value.

As art historian Mary E. Miller has eloquently argued, “In Mesoamerican studies, the role of exhibitions has been striking in both galvanizing new ideas and in reshaping opinion about the nature of the various artistic traditions. Our exhibition seeks to contribute to this endeavor."

The artworks on display at the Fayetteville Public Library represent the work of Indigenous artists from different regions of pre-Hispanic Mexico and the south of the United States. These artists were professionally trained—both in specialized schools and by masters of the trade—and created pieces of high artistic value. The U of A Museum holds a remarkable collection of art from the ancient Americas, encompassing pieces from the various cultures that flourished in this region between 1500 BCE – 1500 CE, including the Olmecs, the cultures from West Mexico; the Zapotec and Mixtec from Oaxaca; Teotihuacan, the Aztec or Mexica civilization; and North Alves and Arizona, in the Southwest United States. We are glad to show these objects—some for the first time—to the Northwest Arkansas community.

This exhibition was curated by the students in professor Ana Pulido Rull’s class The Art of Mesoamerica, in collaboration with curators Laurel Lamb and Mary Suter from the U of A Museum, with the support of the Art History Program, the School of Art and the Fayetteville Public Library.

“This exhibition has been in the making for several months, and it is very exciting to see it come together," Pulido said. "The students from my seminar and I visited the University Museum several times during the fall to work with these objects, design and curate the exhibit. They have done an impressive amount of research on these pieces for the exhibition catalogue—available online and in print. The work of the design team on this catalogue and the website has been remarkable and will allow viewers to further engage with the art of the ancient Americas.”

"This exhibition showcases the artistic sophistication of Indigenous artists who worked in Mesoamerica long before the arrival of Spanish colonizers," said John Blakinger, director of the U of A art history program. "It presents a fresh view of the ancient Americas through unique objects, demonstrating the innovative work our students and faculty in art history as well as the value of our partnerships with the University of Arkansas Museum and the Fayetteville Public Library."

"It was a wonderful experience to work with the class and see the exhibit come together from start to finish," said Laurel Lamb, curator of education and engagement for the University Museum.

Make sure to check out this exhibition before March 29 at the Fayetteville Public Library’s Lucky Day Gallery on the second floor.