How is art of the American West considered from the perspective of the 21st Century? To address this question, this exhibition will consider new constructs, advance scholarship, and investigate historic and contemporary presentations of this distinct art type. TMA will present an in-depth exploration of its Art of the American West collection through perspectives of community curators, partners, and TMA curatorial and community engagement staff. Considering the various nuances found within this collection, community curators will work with the museum in examining its historic origins, changes over time, and relevance to audiences today to develop new understandings. Seeking to both expand and honor existing traditional narratives, the exhibition will feature themes that highlight connections and meaningful stories found between people, histories, cultures, and art found within this geographic region, as well as concentrate on the roles that Southern Arizona has played in art of the American West’s development and interpretation. Visitors will discover new ways to understand this type of art and its significance to the past and present as well as investigate social contexts in relation to traditional conventions.

Divergence of Legacy: Art of the American West in the 21st Century has been developed through a community-based curatorial framework. We are grateful to the expertise, guidance, and trust of our community curators: Elizabeth Denneau, Dwayne Manuel, Ruben Urrea Moreno, Harrison Preston, YuYu Shiratori, Feng-Feng Yeh, and Alisha Vasquez and Rikki Riojas with the Mexican American Heritage and History Museum.