Marsden Hartley, the self-proclaimed “painter of Maine,” spent much of his life traveling far from his New England roots before his death in 1943. Certain locations, from Paris and Berlin to New York and New Mexico, served as touchstones. Marsden Hartley: Adventurer in the Arts at the New Mexico Museum of Art from April 5 to July 25, 2025 traces Hartley’s lifelong search for inspiration and invention.
The New Mexico Museum of Art Showcases Marsden Hartley
“Hartley was an important figure, particularly for modern and contemporary art in the Southwest. He was a contemporary of Georgia O’Keeffe and ran in the same circles. He also spent time in New Mexico. This exhibition, developed in partnership with the Vilcek Foundation and Bates College Museum of Art, looks at all of his travels,” said Christian Waguespack, former Head of Curatorial Affairs and Curator of 20th Century Art at the New Mexico Museum of Art.
The exhibition displays postcards, luggage, jewelry and other items that give a sense of Hartley as a person, as well as an artist. The show features three paintings from the New Mexico Museum of Art’s collection among the more than 40 paintings and drawings spanning Hartley’s career.
“When you think about American culture at the time, creatives wanted to find something distinctly American they could grab onto instead of looking to Europe for inspiration. Hartley came here with that thought in mind,” added Waguespack. “El Santo, from 1919, is one of Hartley’s most important paintings and we’re proud to have it in our collection. It set the tone and articulated many of the themes artists had been working with for generations.”
Story by Kelly Koepke
Photos Courtesy of New Mexico Museum of Art
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