On September 26, 2023, the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs announced that the National Hispanic Cultural Center (NHCC) is preparing to open a new art exhibition titled "Into the Hourglass: Paño Arte from the Rudy Padilla Collection" on October 6th. This exhibition, hosted at the NHCC Art Museum, explores the impact of incarceration through the unique art form of paño arte, according to a press release.
The exhibition features over 100 paños or pañuelos collected by the late Rudy Padilla, a collector and community advocate, as well as artworks by New Mexican artists influenced by paño arte. Paño arte emerged in the 1940s as a means of communication for prisoners with the outside world. The NHCC Art Museum acquired the collection, which is the largest in the United States, in 2019.
"In addition to celebrating paños as an art form and the contributions of incarcerated artists to the broader fields of Chicano and American art, Into the Hourglass also examines the role that incarceration plays in contemporary American society," stated the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs.
The exhibition will be on display at the National Hispanic Cultural Center until April 14, 2024. Plans for additional touring locations will be announced in the coming year, offering people across the nation the opportunity to view the exhibition.
NHCC Visual Arts Program Manager Jadira Gurulé expressed excitement about the exhibition and announced that it will be a traveling exhibition, allowing New Mexicans to experience it before it begins its national tour.
The Rudy Padilla Paño Collection provides a platform to commemorate the artistic and cultural expressions of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated artists from Chicano and Latino communities in the Southwestern United States. As part of the exhibition, NHCC educators are partnering with local juvenile detention centers and organizing a community symposium in early 2024 focused on incarceration-related work.
"Into the Hourglass offers an opportunity to not only celebrate the incredible life and work of Rudy Padilla but also to shine a light on an art form that's often misunderstood," said Jadira Gurulé.
The exhibition aims to provide insight into the effects of incarceration and its role in contemporary American society through the lens of paño arte. Visitors will have the chance to appreciate the artistic expression of incarcerated individuals and gain a deeper understanding of the broader fields of Chicano and American art.