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Art of the Ancient Americas

Art of the Americas Building, Level 4: Artworks on view

A rich array of objects from the major civilizations of ancient Mexico constitute the heart of the collection. Recently reinstalled in bold new galleries designed by the contemporary artist Jorge Pardo, the collection features ceramic funerary offerings from the West Mexican states of Nayarit, Colima, and Jalisco, exquisite jade figures produced by Olmec artists on the Gulf Coast, and textiles and ceramics from the ancient kingdoms of Peru. Browse the Ancient American art galleries by culture, place or type of artwork.

Mexico, Jalisco
Drinking Vessel
Mexico, Southern Campeche, Maya
c. 600–800
Drinking Vessel
Mexico, Southern Campeche, Maya
c. 600–800

Ceramic, ceramic with cream, red, and black slip
Height: 5 3/8 in. (13.65 cm);
Diameter: 5 1/8 in. (13.02 cm)

Gift of the 2006 Collectors Committee (M.2006.41)

Standing Male Figure
Mexico, Campeche, Jaina, Maya
c. 600–800
Standing Male Figure
Mexico, Campeche, Jaina, Maya
c. 600–800

Ceramic with white and blue pigment, unspecified
9.874 in.
(25.08 cm)

Gift of Phil Berg (M.71.73.217)

Vessel
Mexico, Nayarit
c. 1350–1500
Vessel
Mexico, Nayarit
c. 1350–1500

Slip-painted ceramic
13 1/4 x 7 1/2 in.
(33.66 x 19.05 cm)

Purchased with funds provided by Camilla Chandler Frost (M.2000.86)

Vessel with Hummingbird Rattle
Mexico, Oaxaca, Zapotec
1300–1500
Vessel with Hummingbird Rattle
Mexico, Oaxaca, Zapotec
1300–1500

Ceramic and slip
4 3/16 x 6 5/8 x 5 1/8 in.
(10.63 x 16.82 x 13.01 cm)

Gift of the 2003 Collectors Committee (M.2003.44)

The Director's Series: Michael Govan and Jorge Pardo

LACMA Chief Executive Officer and Wallis Annenberg Director Michael Govan in conversation with contemporary artist Jorge Pardo where they discuss his installation of LACMA's pre-Columbian collection and future plans with LACMA.

A Tour with the Director

July 14, 2009

. . . As we left the Director’s Lounge and headed up to our first stop at the pre-Columbian galleries, the relationship between, and relevance to, ancient art and the future was immediately clear in Jorge Pardo’s installation design for the Art of the Ancient Americas galleries....

Jorge Pardo on the Pre-Columbian Galleries

November 17, 2008

Earlier this month Michael Govan sat down with Jorge Pardo as part of the Directors Series. Along with a discussion of some of Pardo’s seminal works, the two discussed Pardo’s design for LACMA’s pre-Columbian galleries, which debuted in September to some debate...

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