The University of New Mexico Art Museum presents “For the Greater Good: New Deal Art in New Mexico, 1933-1943,” an exhibition commemorating the 75th anniversary of the New Deal and the work created by New Mexicans under its auspices. The exhibit will run Feb. 26-May 25, with an opening reception on Friday, Feb. 29, 5-7 p.m.
The New Deal was notable for being the first time that the federal government focused on the needs of the average citizen by establishing programs to relieve the crippling poverty of the Great Depression. It was the first and only time that the government supported the arts on a massive scale. A large part of this assistance took the form of work programs that allowed Americans to earn a living wage while performing a service “for the greater good.”
New Mexico, with its established art culture, was one of the most productive regions administered by the New Deal. The exhibition includes work by Kenneth Adams, Patrocinio Barela, John Collier, Raymond Jonson, Gene Kloss, Russell Lee, Dorothy Morang, Willard Nash, Pablita Velarde, and many others. The exhibit is curated by Robert Ware of the Jonson Gallery.
Special programs related to the exhibition include:
· Kathryn Flynn, director, National New Deal Association, guest speaker on the New Deal, Tuesday, March 4, 5:30 p.m.
· Tey Marianna Nunn, Visual Arts Director, National Hispanic Cultural Center, guest speaker on Hispanic Arts and the New Deal, Tuesday, March 11, 5:30 p.m.
· Joe McKinney, former UNM Architect, will conduct a tour of WPA Murals and Artworks on the UNM Albuquerque campus, beginning at UNM Art Museum, Tuesday, April 8, 5:30 p.m.
· Richard Marold as Franklin Delano Roosevelt in Chatauqua: A Visit With FDR, Wednesday, April 9, 5:30 p.m. Sponsored in part by the New Mexico Humanities Council.
The UNM Art Museum is open Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Tuesday evening 5-8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 1-4 p.m., and during most events at Popejoy Hall. Admission is free. For more information visit: UNM Art Museum or call 277-4001.
Contact: Esther Golden, (505) 277-6773; e-mail: etgolden@unm.edu