Opened in 1959, the El Paso Museum of Art houses an array of over 7,000 works. Over the years, its origin collection of European Baroque and Renaissance art expanded to include American, Mexican, and European pieces. An art school on-site that caters to both adults and children as well as a commitment to celebrating the cultural diversity of this binational town through exhibitions means you’ll soon understand why this museum attracts over 100,000 visitors a year!
European
The bulk of EPMA’s European works are from the Kress Collection. Comprised of fifty-seven paintings and two marble structures, the collection contains work by masters like Jusepe de Ribera, Francisco de Zurbarán, and Filippino Lippi.
Split roughly into four time periods, visitors can enjoy work from the Renaissance, Baroque, Gothic and Rococo periods. An incredible 13th-Century Madonna and Child, Martin di Bartolemo’s tempura of The Crucifixion, and Van Dyck’s Portrait of a Lady are just some of the pieces worth viewing.
Modern and Contemporary
With a focus on local artists from Texas, the US/Mexico border region — and, more broadly, the Southwest — this modern and contemporary collection displays a wide range of work from living artists working in various mediums.
Video installations, sculptures, and photography are found alongside more traditional fine art. Notable works include Gaspar Enriquez’s Generations of Attitudes, the vibrant fiberglass sculpture of Luis Jiménez’s Barfly (Statue of Liberty), and stunning ariel shots from David Taylor’s “Working the Line” series.
American
The permanent American collection is home to some beautiful landscape and portrait paintings from the 19th and 20th centuries. Visitors can take a trip through American art sensibilities with portraits by artists like Gilbert Stuart, Rembrandt Peale, and Thomas Sully, giving way to more impressionistic viewpoints by the likes of Robert Henri. Modernist still-lifes, American decorative art, and a collection of almost 1,000 West Texan prints and paintings round out this excellent collection.
Latin American
A fascinating collection of Latin American Art is formed predominantly by 19-century Mexican retablos and Spanish colonial paintings. Heavily influenced by faith and religion and meant for domestic display, retablos are typically painted on tin or copper. The bulk of the collection comes from a donation of over 500 retablos from the private collection of scholar Nancy Hamilton.
A selection of 17th and 18th-century Spanish paintings display the vibrant reinterpretation of classic European works at the time, with works drawing influence from local cultures and customs to create their own unique feel.
Past and Upcoming Exhibitions
But it’s not just the permanent collections that are worth visiting: EPMA hosts many individual or themed exhibitions during the year within various mediums. Shows displaying abstract art and clay and poetry works are upcoming, so keep an eye on their schedule.
The EPMA isn’t the only place in town that contains a diverse range of works of art – but it certainly is well worth a visit! Check their website for availability, then plan a fun day of exploration!
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