Past Exhibitions

Browse the chronological list of past exhibitions at the Saint Louis University Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCRA), or search for a specific exhibition. Click “View” for more information about an exhibition. If you need further information about an exhibition, please contact us.

Name

Vicente Telles and Brandon Maldonado: Cuentos Nuevomexicanos

Dates

March 19, 2023 to June 25, 2023

Description

Engaging a Living Tradition

Artists Vicente Telles and Brandon Maldonado are forging new links in the chain of the continuing story of the people of New Mexico. Telles is firmly rooted in the Santero tradition (the making of santos, or images of saints), while Maldonado describes his work as being heavily inspired by New Mexican folk art. Yet they see their work converging on the critical question: What can and should Santero art be now? This question is explored in a MOCRA exhibition that introduces the work of Telles and Maldonado to St. Louis audiences

The practice of making and venerating santos originated in Spain and was carried to territories under Spanish colonial rule. New Mexican santeros (makers of santos) developed distinctive approaches that diverged from the models they found in imported oil paintings, statues and devotional prints. The Santero tradition flourished from the mid-18th to late-19th centuries before falling into a period of decline. It recovered, however, and thrives today, responding to the needs of both religious devotees and art aficionados.

Santos continue to be essential to the devotional practices of families and communities, but they are also appreciated as art objects. Telles and Maldonado recognize the classic santeros as artists with agency who made adaptive choices in response to complex social concerns and matters of faith for their communities. Telles and Maldonado similarly approach the interwoven threads of contemporary New Mexican culture as informed, thoughtful practitioners. What aesthetic value does Santero art offer to the wider art world today? How can it be released from the confines of a religious folk form and redeemed from commodification? Not content with reiterating the past, Telles and Maldonado passionately engage a living tradition to tell stories for our times.

About the Artists

Vicente Telles

Vicente Telles (b. 1983) is a santero and cultural iconographer driven by the desire to honor the culture and traditions of his native New Mexico. Telles began painting traditional retablos using handmade pigments and gesso, but his style has evolved to include experimentation with different mediums such as textiles, hand-pulled papers and found and repurposed materials. His more contemporary pieces, including his social commentary retablos and ongoing border culture series, feature reinterpretations of traditional Catholic and cultural iconography. To Telles, whose work can be found in private and public collections both in the U.S. and abroad, his artistry is about far more than painting; it means “being a teacher, a student and an observer of tradition and maker of the contemporary.” His santos and contemporary pieces transcend religion, allowing Telles to do his part to keep his heritage and centuries of tradition alive and vibrant.

Brandon Maldonado

Brandon Maldonado (b. 1980) was raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he grew up on the graffiti art of his barrio surroundings. He rejected the academically painted Southwestern landscapes that seemed a far cry from the graffiti-filled streets of his personal reality. However, the culturally rich environment of New Mexico made a lasting impact on his work, which often explores themes associated with Mexican culture. The history and culture of the land fascinate him, as well as its living and historical ties to the story of Mexico and its mestizo legacy. Though primarily a self-taught artist, Maldonado holds a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities with an emphasis on philosophy and religion from the College of Santa Fe, and fittingly, he sees his art as a means to expressing ideas. Maldonado is perhaps best known for his Dia de los Muertos-themed images, which he has explored and evolved for more than two decades. His image Our Lady of Merciful Fate was featured on the cover of the Zac Brown Band’s 2012 Grammy-winning album Uncaged.

above:
From left: Brandon Maldonado, La Boda Nuevo Mexicana (The New Mexican Wedding), 2023. Courtesy of the artist. Vicente Telles, San Sebastián (St. Sebastian), 2022; Ahí Viene Vicente (Here Comes Vicente), 2022. Images courtesy of the artist.

Related MOCRA Voices episodes

Episode 26: Vicente Telles and Brandon Maldonado

Exhibition
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Georges Rouault: Miserere et Guerre March 2, 2003 to May 11, 2003 About the Artist Georges Rouault was born in working-class Paris in 1871, and apprenticed as a youth to a stained glass workshop. In late 1890, he en...
Georges Rouault: Miserere et Guerre January 18, 2000 to April 2, 2000 About the Artist Georges Rouault was born in working-class Paris in 1871, and apprenticed as a youth to a stained glass workshop. In late 1890, he en...
Georges Rouault: Miserere et Guerre March 21, 1994 to April 26, 1994 About the Artist Georges Rouault was born in working-class Paris in 1871, and apprenticed as a youth to a stained glass workshop. In late 1890, he en...
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Highlights from the MOCRA Collection May 30, 2015 to August 2, 2015 About the Exhibition Enjoy a look at some of the most popular works in the MOCRA collection, along with lesser known gems. Featuring works by Romare Bearden, Dawoud Bey, Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons, Junko Chodos, Doug DePice, Luis González Palma, DoDo Jin Ming, Dean Kessman, Frank LaPe...
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Highlights from the MOCRA Collection March 28, 2006 to July 30, 2006 About the Exhibition Enjoy a look at some of the most popular works in the MOCRA collection, along with lesser known gems. Featuring works by Seyed Alavi, Luis González Palma, Steven Heilmer, Anne Minich, Shahzia Sikander, Kazuaki Tanahashi, and other artists. above: Sr. ...
Highlights from the MOCRA Collection June 20, 2004 to August 29, 2004 About the Exhibition Enjoy a look at some of the most popular works in the MOCRA collection, along with lesser known gems. Featuring works by Peter Ambrose, Gryphon Blackswan, Daniel Goldstein, Steven Luecking, Gary Passanise, Susan Schwalb, Michael Tracy, and other artists. a...
Highlights from the MOCRA Collection November 4, 2003 to March 5, 2004 About the Exhibition Enjoy a look at some of the most popular works in the MOCRA collection, along with lesser known gems. Featuring works by Seyed Alavi, Nancy Fried, Donald Grant, Tobi Kahn, Virgil Myers, Shahzia Sikander, and other artists. above: Virgil Myers, Noah...
Highlights from the MOCRA Collection January 7, 2003 to February 23, 2003 About the Exhibition Enjoy a look at some of the most popular works in the MOCRA collection, along with lesser known gems. Featuring works by Craig Antrim, Michael David, Sue Eisler, Adrian Kellard, Dean Kessmann, Anne Minich, Daniel Ramirez, and other artists. above: Jame...
Highlights from the MOCRA Collection May 6, 2001 to November 8, 2001 About the Exhibition Enjoy a look at some of the most popular works in the MOCRA collection, along with lesser known gems and some works on loan. Featuring works by Peter Ambrose, Lori Bert, Sr. Helen David Brancato, Daniel Goldstein, Carolyn Jones, Stuart Klipper, Horatio Hung-Yan Law,...
Highlights from the MOCRA Collection July 29, 1999 to December 22, 1999 About the Exhibition Enjoy a look at some of the most popular works in the MOCRA collection, along with lesser known gems. Featuring works by Michael David, Eleanor Dickinson, Steven Heilmer, Charlotte Lichtblau, J. W. Mahoney, Jeffrey Miller, and other artists. above: Mic...
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Sanctuaries: Recovering the Holy in Contemporary Art, Part Two – Three Major Installations April 18, 1993 to August 29, 1993 About the Exhibition MOCRA’s two-part inaugural exhibition features more than 100 works from an wide-ranging roster of artists working in styles ranging from traditional Western figuration to minimalist and geometric abstraction. The artists, generally in their 30s, 40s, and 50s, tend...
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Surface to Source February 5, 2020 to November 22, 2020 About the Exhibition For his first show curated as Director of MOCRA, David Brinker delves into the MOCRA collection, bringing out works that haven’t been shown in a number of years and juxtaposing them with perennial favorites. The works from the collection are joined by several work...
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$Jordan Eagles: VIRAL\VALUE$ Jordan Eagles: VIRAL\VALUE October 26, 2022 to December 18, 2022 Medium and Message Jordan Eagles is the master of a most unlikely medium: blood. His signature preservation technique permanently retains the organic material’s natural colors, patterns, and textures. In recent years, he has produced works made with donated human blood procured from...
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Vicente Telles and Brandon Maldonado: Cuentos Nuevomexicanos March 19, 2023 to June 25, 2023 Engaging a Living Tradition Artists Vicente Telles and Brandon Maldonado are forging new links in the chain of the continuing story of the people of New Mexico. Telles is firmly rooted in the Santero tradition (the making of santos, or images of saints), while Maldon...
Open Hands: Crafting the Spiritual January 28, 2024 to May 19, 2024 About the Exhibition Open Hands: Crafting the Spiritual assembles the work of six intergenerational artists from across the country who use everyday materials, found objects, and elements of craft production to explore issues related to faith and spirituality, personal and cu...
Selections from the MOCRA Collection September 6, 2023 to December 17, 2023 About the Exhibition Enjoy a look at some of the most popular works in the MOCRA collection, along with recent acquisitions and lesser known gems. In particular, we pay tribute to the late ...
Continuum: Figuration and Abstraction in the MOCRA Collection August 28, 2024 to December 15, 2024 About the Exhibition Art is a primary vehicle for conveying spiritual and religious experiences, from intense personal insights to the shared stories that help form a community. This exhibition highlights two general approaches employed by artists to express the religious and spiritua...
Continuum (Continued): Figuration and Abstraction in the MOCRA Collection February 5, 2025 to May 18, 2025 About the Exhibition Art is a primary vehicle for conveying spiritual and religious experiences, from intense personal insights to the shared stories that help form a community. This exhibition highlights two general approaches employed by artists to express the religious and spiritual ...
Selections from the MOCRA Collection January 28, 2023 to June 25, 2023 About the Exhibition Enjoy a look at some of the most popular works in the MOCRA collection, along with recent acquisitions and lesser known gems. About the Exhibition Enjoy a look at some of the most popular works in the MOCRA collection, along with recent acqui...

Past Exhibitions

Engaging a Living Tradition

About the Artists

Vicente Telles

Brandon Maldonado

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