“Mexican Roots: Masks, Prints, & Traditional Arts of Mexico,” September 12 through February 21

Exhibit: Saturday, September 12, through Sunday, February 21

Opening Celebration: Thursday, September 17, 6 p.m.

Figge Art Museum, 225 West Second Street, Davenport IA

With the third-floor exhibition boasting masks, prints, sculpture, and other mediums reflecting the richness of traditional Mexican art forms, Mexican Roots: Masks, Prints, & Traditional Arts of Mexico will be on display at Davenport's Figge Art Museum September 12 through February 21, its fascinating works a celebration of the blending of Indigenous and European cultures that emerged after the Spanish conquest.

Spirits, animals, devils and the dead take many forms in Mexican Roots: Masks, Prints, and Traditional Arts of Mexico. Through masks, prints, ceramics, woodcarving, sculpture, and cartonería (papier-mâché), Mexican Roots explores an artistic story shaped across centuries. Following the Spanish conquest of Mexico, Indigenous beliefs and traditions persisted alongside European influences, continually adapted and reinterpreted by generations of artists. The exhibition brings together ancient, historic and contemporary works that reveal how those influences continue to shape Mexican popular art today.

“Together, these artworks show the resilience and evolution of art in Mexico” said Vanessa Sage, Co-Senior Curator at the Figge Art Museum. “Artists have continually drawn from what they know—adapting symbols, stories and techniques to their own communities and their own time. You can see that continuity throughout the exhibition, whether you’re looking at a centuries-old ceramic, a festival mask, or the work of a contemporary printmaker.”

Masks are among the exhibition’s most striking examples of that continuity. Used in Mexico for thousands of years, masks appeared in Indigenous ceremonies long before the Spanish conquest. As Catholic observances were introduced, Indigenous ceremonies and imagery were often incorporated into new festivals, creating traditions that continue today.

Other sections explore the roles of animals and supernatural beings in Mexican art, from ancient beliefs in animal spirit guides to contemporary alebrijes, the evolution of ceramics and carving, and Mexico’s long printmaking tradition. Prints have historically served as “art for the people,” carrying images of Mexican history, everyday life, political activism and social justice into the streets and public consciousness.

As fall moves toward Día de Muertos, visitors will also encounter traditions surrounding death and remembrance. Mexican popular art frequently depicts the dead as not gone, but continuing life in another world, where skeletons dance, celebrate, work and enjoy life’s pleasures. Marigolds, or cempasúchil, traditionally adorn ofrendas and help guide the souls of the deceased home.
Local artist Victor Granados has created an ofrenda for the exhibition, and visitors are invited to make paper marigolds and add them to the installation. The participatory experience connects the works of view with traditions of memory and remembrance that remain meaningful to communities today.

“Mexican Roots celebrates traditions that have been preserved, reimagined, and carried forward across generations,” said Melissa Mohr, Executive Director and CEO of the Figge Art Museum. “We’re especially excited to create opportunities for our community to experience those traditions together—not only through the extraordinary artwork in the galleries, but through celebration, conversation and hands-on participation throughout the fall.”

The exhibition will be accompanied by a series of free programs, beginning with an Opening Celebration on Thursday, September 17 at 6 p.m. Additional programs include Second Saturday on October 17, an Exhibition Talk on October 29 at 6 p.m., and the museum’s Day of the Dead Family Fiesta on Sunday, November 1 from noon-5 p.m. The free Family Fiesta will celebrate loved ones through music, dance, food, and art with guided activities from noon-3 p.m., presented in partnership with LULAC Council 10 and Hola America.

Mexican Roots: Masks, Prints, & Traditional Arts of Mexico will be on display in the Davenport venue's third-floor galleries from September 5 through January 10, with regular museum hours 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays through Saturdays (10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursdays) and noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays. Museum admission is $8-14, and more information on the exhibit is available by calling (563)326-7804 and visiting FiggeArtMuseum.org.