By: Ball State Marketing & Communications—
Muncie, IN – Dr. Gregorio Luke, curator of “Mexican Modernity: 20th-Century Paintings from the Zapanta Collection” at the David Owsley Museum of Art, will give a free, public talk at 6 p.m. March 12 at DOMA.
A 5 p.m. reception precedes the talk, and the exhibition will remain open until 8 p.m. for those who wish to enjoy an informed viewing following the lecture. Dr. Luke is the former director of the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach (California), Consul of Cultural Affairs of Mexico in Los Angeles, and the first secretary of the Embassy of Mexico in Washington, D.C.
Organized chronologically, the exhibition includes Early Masters, Mexican Muralists, Second-Generation Muralists, Introspective artists, the Oaxacan Movement, and the Rupture generation — all groups that represent dynamic moments in the evolution of 20th-century Mexican art. The exhibition was organized by the Cornell Fine Arts Museum (CFAM) at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, and Dr. Richard Zapanta, from the collection of Dr. Zapanta. A bilingual illustrated catalog written and compiled by Dr. Luke accompanies the show, which is on view at DOMA until May 3, 2020.
The Zapanta Collection, amassed over more than 25 years, includes works by several generations of modern Mexican artists and provides an overview of important artistic styles and an in-depth consideration of poignant themes, political events, and social narratives that informed their creative output. Dr. Zapanta was a fourth-generation Mexican American whose collecting was a way to reconnect with his cultural roots. Dr. Zapanta and his wife, Rebecca, established close friendships with many of the artists whose works they collected, such as Rodolfo Morales and Raúl Anguiano, often inviting them to their home in California and spending time with them in Mexico.
After May 3, the exhibition will subsequently travel to the McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. For more information on the exhibition and other related events, visit the museum’s exhibition page.
Exhibition and Presentation Support
This special exhibition was brought to Ball State University by support from the John R. Emens Distinguished Professorship Fund and the Friends of the David Owsley Museum of Art.
The Edmund F. Petty Memorial Lecture Series honors the prominent Muncie businessman, collector, and grandson of Frank C. Ball, president of the Ball Brothers Manufacturing Company, maker of the famous glass jars. The Petty Memorial Lecture Fund was established by Edmund F. Petty’s widow, Frances Petty Sargent, and supported by his heirs for the purpose of bringing eminent artists and scholars to speak at Ball State University’s art museum.
About the Cornell Fine Arts Museum at Rollins College
The Cornell Fine Arts Museum at Rollins College features rotating exhibitions, ongoing programs, and an extensive permanent collection that spans centuries, from examples of ancient art and artifacts to contemporary art. Open to the public year-round, its holdings include the only European Old Master paintings in the Orlando area, a sizeable American art collection, and a forward-thinking contemporary collection on view both at the Museum and The Alfond Inn at Rollins. In 1981, the Museum became Florida’s first college museum to be accredited by the American Association of Museums (currently the American Alliance of Museums) and continues in 2018 as one of only four AAM-accredited museums in greater Orlando. Website: rollins.edu/cornell-fine-arts-museum.
About the David Owsley Museum of Art at Ball State University
2021 W. Riverside Avenue, Muncie, Indiana
Free and open to the public, the David Owsley Museum of Art at Ball State University houses a world art collection with over 11,000 works from Africa, Asia, the Pacific Islands, Europe, and the Americas. DOMA cultivates lifelong learning and recreation in the visual arts through exciting interdisciplinary art exhibitions with engaging displays of the permanent collection in an educational environment that serves both the University and the East Central Indiana region. Website: bsu.edu/DOMA
Visitor hours are Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday-Sunday, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Free tours are available for groups. Parking is available at the McKinley Parking Garage and MITS bus stops are nearby. DOMA is in the Fine Arts Building on the northern side of Ball State University’s Quad. For more information, call the museum at 765-285-5242 or email artmuseum@bsu.edu.
About Ball State University
Founded in 1918 and located in Muncie, Ball State University is one of Indiana’s premier universities and an economic driver for the state. Ball State’s 22,500 students come from all over Indiana, the nation, and the world. The 790-acre campus is large enough to accommodate first-rate facilities and 19 NCAA Division I sports, but our welcoming and inclusive campus is small enough to ensure the friendliness, personal attention, and access that are the hallmarks of the University. Destination 2040: Our Flight Path establishes Ball State’s ambitious goals for our second century. We Fly!
