Impressions of the Southwest and Mexico

The American Southwest and Mexico have long enchanted artists. In the early 20th century, this region of the United States as well as our neighbor to the south became particularly popular among American artists. A growing tourism industry, the burgeoning field of anthropology and the Arts and Crafts Movement combined to fuel interest in the Southwest and Mexico. Many of the artists whose work appears in this rotation traveled to New Mexico, Arizona, California and Mexico in search of inspiration. Through lithographs, woodcuts, etchings and photographs, their impressions highlight scenes of everyday life, rituals, traditions and popular entertainment, in addition to iconic architecture, varied landscapes and diverse people.

The Nelson-Atkins’ American art collection has some 600 works on paper by many of the country’s most revered artists. Installations in this gallery rotate every six months in order to display the variety of the collection and to protect it from overexposure to damaging light. Showcasing the breadth of media, techniques, styles and themes, these rotating installations convey the engaging possibilities of art on paper.