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Mexico celebrates a rich tradition of arte popular that reaches more than 2,000 years into the Mesoamerican past. Today in villages, towns, and cities throughout Mexico, people continue to fashion art that expresses their deeply rooted traditions. This exhibition of Mexican folk art celebrates this enduring tradition through a variety of ceramics, metalwork, paper art, sculpture, and other works of art. Behind each object is an individual who represents a collective tradition that reflects the creative capacity and unending vitality of the Mexican people.

El Caballo: The Horse in Mexican Folk Art is comprised of objects from several genres of traditional Mexican folk art: metal, ceramics, paper, and wood. Some of these objects are created by an identifiable artisan, while others have been produced in a community of artisans, largely for local consumption and frequently for no cost. This exhibit is meant to be neither exhaustive nor comprehensive, but rather indicative of the talent and broad variety of folk arts of Mexico.

Each object focuses on the horse, an animal that holds special prominence in Mexico. Since the introduction of the horse to Mexico by the Spanish, art related to equestrian activities has been produced in great variety. The horse and rider theme is popular among Mexican folk artists; many of the heroes and saints of Mexico, including Zapata and Santiago, are portrayed on horseback. Today, with their long history as ranchers and cowboys, Mexicans rank among the best equestrians in the world.

Mexico holds a unique place in the world of modern folk art. Its artisans produce some of the world’s most exciting and creative examples of art made for common people. Using whatever materials are at hand, they fashion an array of utilitarian, ceremonial, and decorative objects. While most of these creations are regional, even local, in concept and design, they have in common a distinctly Mexican character that gives them a sense of national identity. Much of this art is pre-Hispanic in origin and can be traced by a continuous line through Spanish colonial times to the present day.

We live in a world where we can buy whatever we need ready-made and uniform; because it is so rare to find something made by hand, and because the maker has spent so much attention and care on each object, Mexican folk art is truly unique.