Utah Museum of Fine Arts Reimagines Latin American Galleries in Decolonization Effort
The Utah Museum of Fine Arts unveiled reimagined galleries dedicated to the art and cultures of Mexico, Central America, and South America yesterday, relocating them to a more prominent space within the museum as part of an ongoing effort to decolonize its collection and foster stronger community connections.
The revamp, initiated in 2022 and a collaboration between museum representatives, Artes de México en Utah, and local Latino community members, shifts the focus from historical context to the living traditions represented by the artifacts. “We want to elevate lots of voices,” said Annie Burbidge Ream, assistant director of learning and engagement at the museum. “The artwork tells the stories of them, their families and their cultures.” The move comes as museums nationwide are re-evaluating how they present artifacts acquired during periods of colonialism.
The collection, largely unchanged in its artifacts but reorganized and re-labeled, now occupies two adjacent galleries—one dedicated to Mexico and the other to Central and South America—after previously being housed in a hallway. New labeling aims to explain the significance of each item to the cultures that created them, such as an urn representing Cocijo, a Zapotec water god. According to Gretchen Dietrich, the museum’s executive director, the new presentation reflects a philosophy that “the past…is not separate from the present; it is the present.” This approach acknowledges that many of these objects were displaced from their original lands and purposes, as Fanny Guadalupe, formerly of Artes de Mexico en Utah, explained, but seeks to honor them through present-day connections and dialogue. You can learn more about the role of museums in cultural preservation on the UNESCO website.
Luis Novoa, current executive director of Artes de Mexico en Utah, described the initiative as “life-changing,” emphasizing its potential to reconnect community members with their roots. The museum plans to continue developing programming and partnerships to further engage with Utah’s Latin American communities, building on the success of this initial phase of the gallery’s reimagining. For more information on current exhibits, visit the Utah Museum of Fine Arts website.
