Dr. Maya Jiménez

About Dr. Maya Jiménez

Dr. Maya Jiménez is Contributing Editor for Twentieth-Century Latin American Art. She received her Ph.D. from the Graduate Center, CUNY, where she focused on the transatlantic dialogues between Latin American and European modern art. She is currently a lecturer at the Museum of Modern Art and Assistant Professor at Kingsborough Community College, CUNY.

Colossal Head, San Lorenzo, Mexico, c. 1200-900 B.C.E., basalt, height 7’5’’ (2.26 m)
In 1500 B.C.E. the Olmec emerged as the one of the earliest Mesoamerican civilizations and some art historians consider them the “Mother Culture” of Mesoamerica.

Introduction to the Olmec

Mexico after independence
Revolutionary priests and an ex-member of the Spanish military led a charge for independence and equality for some.

Mexican Independence

Costumbrismo
Stereotypical folkloric scenes were widely circulated, shaping perceptions of Latin America at home and abroad.

Costumbrismo

Palenque
One of many Maya city-states, Palenque rose to prominence in the seventh century thanks to an ambitious local lord.

Palenque (Classic Period)

The Maya, an introduction
As independent city-states, the ancient Maya lacked a centralized power but shared a common belief system.

The Maya, an introduction

Mesoamerica before European colonization
The Aztecs knew Teotihuacan as the “city of the gods” and revered it. But who were the people who built it?

Teotihuacan

Lygia Clark, Bicho, 1962, aluminum (photo: trevor.patt, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
Described by Clark as a “non object,” Bicho can take many shapes, and is manipulated by the viewer.

Lygia Clark, Bicho