Principal Collections

• Art of the American West. The Art of the American West collection consists of historic and contemporary works of art from the past 200 years through today. Composed of an assortment of paintings, sculptures, works on paper, photography, and other media – this collection represents artists who live(d) in or are inspired by the American West. It includes artistic traditions and innovations that span the Southwest, Plains, Rocky Mountains, and Pacific Northwest regions.

• Contemporary Art. The Contemporary art collection includes art from 1970 to the present. The broad range of artists and artworks within these holdings present global perspectives and highlights contemporary art that is relevant to the American Southwest. It includes crafts, drawings, paintings, photographs, prints, sculptures, and videos.

• Indigenous Arts. The Indigenous Arts collection contains examples of pottery, weavings, beadwork, wood carvings, paintings, sculptures, works on paper, and photography, among other art forms – with pieces dating as early as 1000 years ago through current times. The holdings center on works created by Indigenous artists in the American Southwest, particularly of Diné, Hopi, and New Mexico Pueblo peoples, but extend through regions of the modern U.S. and Canada, located north of the Mexican border. The objects in the collection convey complex socio-political issues and show cultural resilience through the ages.

• Latin American Art. The Latin American art collection comprises artworks created across the Americas from antiquity to the present. Major collecting areas within Latin American art include Art of the Ancient Americas (before approximately 1521 A.D.), Colonial Latin American Art (16th – 19th centuries), Latin American Folk Art (primarily represented by the 20th and 21st centuries), and Modern and Contemporary Art (20th and 21st centuries). Many of the works in this collection are particularly relevant to the museum given its context in the Southern Arizona borderlands.

● Modern Art. The Modern Art Collection includes late-19th to late-20th century American and art from around the world. The collection primarily focuses on American art and features artists who were European born and immigrated to the United States. It provides a snapshot into an important time of change and awakening to global influences on the art world and includes crafts, drawings, paintings, photographs, prints, and sculptures.

Other Collections

• Asian Art. The Asian Art collection encompasses artistic forms created throughout Asia and Southeast Asia and includes works from present-day China, Japan, India, Iran, Korea, Nepal, Taiwan, Thailand, Tibet, and Syria.

• Decorative Arts. The Decorative Arts collection contains furniture, housewares, decorative pottery, textiles, clothing, jewelry, and ephemera from the 12th century to the 20th century.

• European Art. The European art collection includes works from Europe on paper, paintings, decorative arts, and sculptures from the 12th century to the 21st century.