San Antonio Museum of Art

August is Xicanx Month, a city-wide celebration and commemoration of the Chicano Arts Movement that holds its roots in San Antonio. This work, “Mnesic Myths,” by Xicana artist Alma Lopez, draws inspiration from Aztec imagery. Here, a woman kneels over a sleeping woman, reminiscent of the tragic myth of the lovers Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl. Around the two figures are floral and aquatic imagery, butterflies, and a brilliant rainbow, further linking this work to images found in Aztec codices and reinterpreting them within a modern Xicanx context. This work is on view until Sunday, October 20, in Round II of “Lovers & Fighters: Prints by Latino Artists in the SAMA Collection.” _ Alma Lopez, “Mnesic Myths,” 1999, Screen print, 30 x 22 in. (76.2 x 55.9 cm). San Antonio Museum of Art, gift of Ricardo and Harriett Romo, 2012.31.7. © Alma Lopez.

August at SAMA— Learn more about upcoming events and programs: https://lnkd.in/gkb4ByF3

The modern Olympic games, starting today in Paris, were derived from the ancient Greek Olympic games, which were held every four years during a religious festival honoring Zeus. The Greek world was rife with athletic competitions, including four-horse chariot races, such as the one depicted on this drinking cup. Chariot racing was as expensive as it was dangerous. As such, it was largely relegated to upper-class aristocrats who could afford to maintain a team of horses, and sponsoring a winning chariot team was one of the highest accomplishments a man could boast. This vessel presents a stylized image of a chariot race, resplendent with floral motifs and dolphin imagery, and showcases the precarity of the sport, with charioteers leaning over their horses. — “Cup with racing chariots and a Gorgoneion,” Greek, Ca. 520 B.C., Terracotta, black-figure technique, Height: 4 1/8 in. (10.4 cm); Diameter: 10 1/16 in. (25.5 cm); Diameter with handles: 12 3/4 in. (32.4 cm); Diameter of foot: 4 in. (10.2 cm), San Antonio Museum of Art, Gift of Gilbert M. Denman, Jr., 86.134.49.

DOCENT RECRUITMENT 📢 Come Curious, Leave Inspired! Embark on a journey of discovery as a docent at SAMA. Share your love for learning with visitors of all backgrounds—no formal art or history experience required! Lead tours, spark conversations, and inspire appreciation for the arts. Seeking both English and bilingual Spanish speakers. Applications closing soon! Apply online by July 31. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gt9z69Q2

July at SAMA! Learn more about upcoming events and programs: https://lnkd.in/gkb4ByF3

Thank you, Ruben C. Cordoba, for the thorough review of “Ángel Rodríguez-Díaz’s: The Goddess Triptych Reunited” for Glasstire. The exhibition is on view through January 26, 2025. https://lnkd.in/grEA_7wW

This Juneteenth, we honor and commemorate the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans. Although the Emancipation Proclamation was issued in 1863, it was not enforced in Confederate-controlled territory until June 19, 1865 at the end of the American Civil War. The holiday’s name is a combination of the words “June” and “nineteenth.” Today the Museum is celebrating the work of Black American artist Edward Mitchell Bannister. In “After the Bath,” Bannister expertly depicts a pastoral scene in the Barbizon style: a group of geese leave their bath and walk into a barn, observed by a man and woman. Bannister’s work was driven by the desire to demonstrate Black excellence in painting, which some critics alleged was impossible. He was successful: in 1876, he became the first Black artist to receive a national award. Bannister’s skill is a testament to the importance of celebrating the legacy of Black arts and culture today. __ Edward Mitchell Bannister, American, 1828–1901, “After the Bath,” ca. 1891, Oil on canvas, 36 x 49 in. (91.4 x 124.5 cm), San Antonio Museum of Art, Gift of Harmon and Harriet Kelley, 94.61.

To celebrate #WaterMW, we are featuring “Ghosts of the Old Mississippi: Dismal Swamp/Northern Lights” by San Antonio artist Liz Ward. Water is the foundation of all life, and this work demonstrates the often-fraught relationship between water sources and humans. By using a variety of materials and deep, earth-tone colors, Ward highlights the changes that industry and geoengineering have visited upon the Mississippi River at the same time as she investigates cultural and familial ties to it. Liz Ward, American, born 1959, “Ghosts of the Old Mississippi: Dismal Swamp/Northern Lights,” 2015, Watercolor, gesso, silverpoint, pastel, and collage on paper , 71 5/8 × 31 7/8 in., San Antonio Musuem of Art, purchased with The Brown Foundation Contemporary Art Acquisition Fund and funds provided by Dr. Katherine Moore McAllen, Dr. Dacia Napier, Edward E. (Sonny) Collins III, and The Sheerin Family, 2021.7. © Liz Ward #museumweek #sanantoniomuseumofart

The Museum is rich in history, and the nature surrounding it is equally significant. For #UrbanNatureMW, we want to highlight our beautiful outdoor spaces. From the Sculpture Garden to the Taihu Rock, our outdoor areas provide a serene environment to connect with nature. Stroll through the Sculpture Garden, where you’ll encounter the ancient heritage oak. Believed to have sprouted around 1715, this oak predates the construction of the Lone Star Brewery complex by 180 years, which began in 1895. #MuseumWeek #SanAntonioMuseumofArt #UrbanGardens

Join us in celebrating the diversity of life on our planet for #WorldEnvironmentDay and #BiodiversityMW! Artists are consistently interested in depicting how we relate to nature. “Still Life with Parrot” demonstrates this interest through adapting a traditionally European genre of painting to the context of daily life in Puebla, Mexico during the nineteenth-century. Sitting among a variety of fruits is a Yellow-Headed Amazon, a parrot native to Mexico and Central America which is currently endangered. As endangered status and biodiversity loss continue to threaten many species, it’s critical to foster #EcoAwareness and celebrate #LifeOnEarth! “Still Life with Parrot,” 19th century, Oil on canvas, 21 1/2 x 29 1/2 in., San Antonio Museum of Art, The Nelson A. Rockefeller Mexican Folk Art Collection, 85.98.97. #MuseumWeek #SanAntonioMuseumofArt