Yucatecan Art History: From the Iconographic Imaginary to the Neo Maya
This lecture series by Raúl Gasque explores the rich and layered history of Yucatecan art, tracing its evolution from early iconographic representations to contemporary Neo Maya expressions. The course begins with a close examination of the visual imaginaries that shaped Yucatán’s artistic identity—through illustration, photography, architecture, literature, and music—and follows their transformation across time.
Special attention is given to the Neo Maya movement, analyzing how modern and contemporary artists reinterpret ancestral symbols, materials, and narratives. Through this journey, the course reveals the dynamic dialogue between historical memory and present-day artistic innovation in Yucatán.
The course consists of five classes, each lasting three hours, combining lectures, visual analysis, and creative workshops.
Cost: All Five Sessions = $4,000 • Four Sessions = $3,300 • Three Sessions = $2,600 • Two Sessions = $1,800 • One Session= $950. Register online in the MEL Shop.
March 23 - Yucatecan Iconography: From the Illustrations of Frederick Catherwood to the Pedro Guerra Photographic Archive
Synopsis:
This session traces Yucatán’s visual legacy through two foundational moments: Frederick Catherwood’s meticulous 19th-century illustrations and the documentary power of the Pedro Guerra photographic archive. Participants will explore how these images shaped both local and international perceptions of Yucatán, contributing to the construction of cultural identity, memory, and historical narrative.
March 30 - A New Century Is Born: Elvia Carrillo Puerto’s Feminist Movement and the Music of Guty Cárdenas
Synopsis:
This lecture examines the emergence of modern Yucatán in the early 20th century through two transformative figures. Elvia Carrillo Puerto’s feminist activism is explored alongside the emotionally charged music of Guty Cárdenas. Together, these movements reveal how social change, political struggle, and artistic expression intersected to redefine Yucatecan identity during a pivotal historical moment.
April 6 - The Neo Maya Art Movement: Architecture and Visual Arts in Post-Revolutionary Mexico
Synopsis:
This session focuses on the Neo Maya movement and its influence on architecture and visual arts in post-revolutionary Mexico. Students will analyze how artists and architects reimagined indigenous heritage through modernist frameworks, blending ancestral symbolism with contemporary aesthetics. The lecture highlights the movement’s role in redefining national and regional identity.
April 13 - The Writers Who Shaped Modern Yucatán: From Antonio Mediz Bolio to Roldán Peniche Barrera
Synopsis:
This lecture delves into the literary voices that shaped modern Yucatán, from the mythopoetic and ethnographic writings of Antonio Mediz Bolio to the narrative and intellectual contributions of Roldán Peniche Barrera. Through their texts, participants will explore how literature became a key tool for cultural preservation, reinterpretation, and modern identity construction.
April 20 - From Expressive Figurativism to Edgy Abstraction: Modernism and Contemporary Art in Yucatán
Synopsis:
The final session explores the evolution of Yucatecan art from expressive figurativism to bold contemporary abstraction. Focusing on artists such as Fernando Castro Pacheco and Gerda Gruber, the lecture examines how emotive figurative narratives give way to conceptual and abstract experimentation. This session highlights the shifting boundaries, tensions, and innovations that define Yucatecan art today.
Creative Workshops
Each lecture concludes with a hands-on creative workshop designed to reinforce key concepts from the session. Through the use of soft pastels, along with written and verbal exercises, participants will actively explore the themes discussed, translating historical and theoretical insights into personal artistic expression.
What You Will Learn
By the end of this course, participants will:
Gain a clear and engaging understanding of Yucatecan art, from its historical roots to contemporary expressions.
Learn to recognize key images, symbols, and styles that appear in Yucatán’s art, architecture, literature, and visual culture.
Discover how history, social movements, and everyday life have influenced artistic creation in Yucatán.
Explore how traditional Maya imagery has been reimagined by modern and contemporary artists, especially through the Neo Maya movement.
Become familiar with important artists, writers, musicians, and cultural figures who shaped Yucatecan identity.
Develop a more attentive way of looking at art, learning how to read images, spaces, and artworks with curiosity and confidence.
Express personal ideas and emotions through hands-on creative activities, using drawing, writing, and conversation as tools for reflection.
Feel more connected to Yucatán’s cultural heritage, understanding how the past continues to inspire artistic expression today.
The series includes a guided tour in a historical landmark of Merida
About Raúl Gasque
With a career that spans more than 20 years in Asia, Latin America, and Europe, Raúl has led workshops and talks in institutions ranging from Mexico to Taiwan. His work engages themes of storytelling, psychology, and identity through a nontraditional lens.
As an art educator, Raúl Gasque has worked in different environments and institutions. His experience as an art teacher took him to develop workshops at the National Institute of Arts in Mexico, The Peace Nobel Prize Rigoberta Menchú Tum Foundation in Guatemala, Hungkuang University in Taichung, and the Mexican Cultural and Trade Office in Taiwan. Also, Gasque has given conferences in prestigious universities and institutions such as the Asian Center for Journalism of the Ateneo University in Manila, La Hydra in Mexico City, Lightbox Center, and National Chengchi University in Taipei, Taiwan.
Originally from Mérida, Yucatán, Raúl recently returned home after two decades abroad to reconnect with his roots and the rich cultural energy of the region. This is his fourth art history workshop at MEL.
