Carlos Mérida

Carlos Mérida was a Guatemalan artist and naturalized Mexican who was one of the first to fuse European modern painting to Latin American themes, especially those related to Guatemala and Mexico. He was part of the Mexican muralism movement in subject matter but less so in style, favoring a non-figurative and later geometric style rather than a figurative, narrative style. Mérida is best known for canvas and mural work, the latter including elements such as glass and ceramic mosaic on major constructions in the 1950s and 1960s. One of his major works 4000m2 on the Benito Juarez housing complex, was completely destroyed with the 1985 Mexico City earthquake, but a monument to it exists at another complex in the south of the city.

Works in Collection

25 works

Dance of the Chinelos from Dances of Mexico

Carlos Mérida

c. 1937

Dance of the Crescent Moon from Dances of Mexico

Carlos Mérida

c. 1937

Dance of the Malinches from Dances of Mexico

Carlos Mérida

c. 1937

Dance of the Moors from Dances of Mexico

Carlos Mérida

c. 1937

Dance of the Quetzals from Dances of Mexico

Carlos Mérida

c. 1937

Dance of the Santiagos from Dances of Mexico

Carlos Mérida

c. 1937

Dance of the Tlacololeros from Dances of Mexico

Carlos Mérida

c. 1937

Dances of Mexico

Carlos Mérida

c. 1937

Estampas del Popol-Vuh

Carlos Mérida

1943

Mayor of Almolonga

Carlos Mérida

1916-19

Plate (folio 10) from Estampas del Popol-Vuh

Carlos Mérida

1943

Plate (folio 12) from Estampas del Popol-Vuh

Carlos Mérida

1943

Plate (folio 14) from Estampas del Popol-Vuh

Carlos Mérida

1943

Plate (folio 16) from Estampas del Popol-Vuh

Carlos Mérida

1943

Plate (folio 18) from Estampas del Popol-Vuh

Carlos Mérida

1943

Plate (folio 20) from Estampas del Popol-Vuh

Carlos Mérida

1943

Plate (folio 22) from Estampas del Popol-Vuh

Carlos Mérida

1943

Plate (folio 4) from Estampas del Popol-Vuh

Carlos Mérida

1943

Plate (folio 6) from Estampas del Popol-Vuh

Carlos Mérida

1943

Plate (folio 8) from Estampas del Popol-Vuh

Carlos Mérida

1943

Plume Dance from Dances of Mexico

Carlos Mérida

c. 1937

Tempo in Red Major

Carlos Mérida

1942

The Pascola and the Deer from Dances of Mexico

Carlos Mérida

c. 1937

The Umbrella Men from Dances of Mexico

Carlos Mérida

c. 1937

Exhibitions

12 exhibitions

May 08, 1933 – Jul 01, 1933

American Sources of Modern Art (Aztec, Mayan, Incan)

12 artists · 1 curator

May 15, 1940 – Sep 30, 1940

Twenty Centuries of Mexican Art

53 artists · 2 curators

May 13, 1942 – May 24, 1942

Mexican Costumes by Carlos Mérida

1 artist

Mar 31, 1943 – Jun 06, 1943

The Latin-American Collection of the Museum of Modern Art

154 artists · 1 curator

Jun 20, 1945 – Feb 13, 1946

The Museum Collection of Painting and Sculpture

174 artists

Feb 19, 1946 – May 05, 1946

The Museum Collection of Painting

67 artists

Jul 02, 1946 – Sep 12, 1954

Paintings, Sculpture, and Graphic Arts from the Museum Collection

112 artists · 1 curator

Oct 05, 1949 – Dec 04, 1949

Modern Art in Your Life

164 artists · 1 curator

Sep 08, 1954 – Nov 28, 1954

American Prints of the 20th Century

111 artists · 1 curator

Oct 19, 1954 – Feb 06, 1955

XXVth Anniversary Exhibition: Paintings from the Museum Collection

260 artists

Mar 17, 1967 – Jun 04, 1967

Latin-American Art, 1931–1966, from the Museum Collection

37 artists · 2 curators

Mar 16, 1978 – Jul 02, 1978

Mexican Art

25 artists · 2 curators