Mexican Prints at the Vanguard
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
September 12–January 5, 2025
Opening on September 12, 2024, at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Mexican Prints at the Vanguard will showcase Mexico’s vibrant printmaking tradition from the 18th to mid-20th century. The exhibition will feature early works by José Guadalupe Posada, renowned for his skeletal depictions that defined Mexican art globally. Post-Mexican Revolution, printmaking became a powerful medium for addressing social and political issues amid global fascism, It was also used to reproduce murals and create posters and press prints celebrating Mexican culture.
The exhibition, supported by Jessie and Charles Price and The Schiff Foundation, underscores printmaking’s enduring influence in Mexican graphic arts. Max Hollein, Director of The Met, highlights the collection’s significance in reflecting Mexico’s socio-political history and the medium’s role in cultural expression. With over 130 works including woodcuts, lithographs, and screen prints by artists like Diego Rivera and José Clemente Orozco, Mexican Prints at the Vanguard explores prints as central to Mexican artistic identity and their ongoing relevance in activism.
“This remarkable exhibition evokes the continued resonance of the graphic arts in Mexico and illuminates treasures of The Met collection — many of which have never been exhibited before. Reflecting a vibrant tradition that is deeply imbued with political and social history, these works exemplify the extraordinary power of print as a medium and the importance of creative expression as a response to specific cultural moments.”
– Max Hollein, The Met’s Marina Kellen French Director and Chief Executive Officer
The Met’s extensive collection of Mexican art, largely acquired through artist Jean Charlot, includes unique prints and unpublished works, such as 1920s posters advocating public health and workers’ rights. Mark McDonald, Curator, emphasizes printmaking’s role in documenting Mexican history and The Met’s early interest in Mexican art amidst growing international fascination.
“As a long-preferred medium for artists to challenge and support social and political issues, printmaking provides a rich visual record of Mexican history. This exhibition activates The Met’s unique ability to explore this visual history through its extensive holdings of Mexican prints in addition to highlighting a key moment in the Museum’s collecting practice.”
– Mark McDonald, Curator, Department of Drawings and Prints at The Met
Accompanied by The Met Bulletin and supported by Allston Chapman and the Lila Acheson Wallace Fund, Mexican Prints at the Vanguard offers educational and public programs alongside the artwork. Spanish-language programming will enrich the New York community, celebrating Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month (September 15-October 15) with events at Met Cloisters and across The Met’s diverse cultural programs.
The educational and public programming includes a September 27 panel discussion by artists and historians exploring the resonance of art as a form of resistance. In October, there will also be a performance by student musicians organized by Real de Mexico Mariachi and a free, drop-in artist-led poster-making activity. A series of three Met Expert Talks will take place on September 17, November 21 and December 19, and will share insights and untold stories about works in the exhibition. The Met Fall Fling Festival on October 18 will feature Mexican Prints at the Vanguard, as will other popular programs at the Met such as Family Afternoons, Met Signs in the Studio, and Artists on Artworks.
