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New Mexicans know about the Cinco Pintores, the Taos Society of Artists and the rich tapestry of Native American art so crucial to shaping New Mexico鈥檚 artistic identity.

They may be less familiar with the more than 125 works in Vladem Contemporary鈥檚 鈥淥ff-Center: New Mexico Art, 1970-2000鈥� exhibition. The show gathers artwork from more recent decades in a testament to the magnetic pull that draws artists to the state.

A bit 'Off-Center': From Taos to TorC and beyond, Vladem Contemporary brings together New Mexico art from 1970-2000

鈥淭his is the first major showing of artwork from New Mexico as a whole,鈥� said Christian Waguespack, head of curatorial affairs. 鈥淣o one鈥檚 ever done that.鈥�

It was an era where creativity flourished as never before. From the bustling streets of sa国际传媒官网网页入口 to the tranquil retreats of Taos, the exhibition ventures beyond the well-trodden paths, uncovering hidden gems in communities like Galisteo, Silver City, Las Cruces, Gallup, Truth or Consequences and Roswell playing unexpected roles in shaping the state鈥檚 artistic history. The exhibition will undergo five partial rotations over the course of a year to capture as much of the thematic breadth and as many of the influential artists as possible.

鈥淥ur museum has done a lot of work to capture the history of the 20th century,鈥� Waguespack said. 鈥淣ow it鈥檚 time to put together a history for the next generation. We鈥檙e doing for contemporary art what we鈥檝e been doing for modern art from the turn-of-the century through World War II.鈥�

The exhibit will open in five iterations covering a different era set against the state鈥檚 rugged terrain, vibrant cultures and bustling art scene. This New Mexican tapestry is divided into thematic groups of 鈥淧lace,鈥� 鈥淪pectacle鈥� and 鈥淚dentity.鈥�

Woody Gwyn鈥檚 1982 painting 鈥淗ighway and Mesa鈥� examines the way car travel changed the way we look at painting.

鈥淵ou get the sensation in moving across that road,鈥� Waguespack said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 also about the reintroduction of realistic painting.鈥�

Luis Tapia鈥檚 1992 鈥淐hima Altar, Bertram鈥檚 Cruise鈥� uses a traditional Hispanic santero carving format and brings it into contemporary life. Its cactus-spiked steering wheel looks out on an endless road, watched by figures of Mary and Joseph on the dashboard.

鈥淚t鈥檚 also a nod to low rider culture,鈥� Waguespack said.

Jerry West鈥檚 oil on canvas 鈥淧rairie Homestead with Approaching Cosmic Storm,鈥� 1989, romanticizes the concept of ranch culture sitting beneath menacing storm clouds.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a heroic painting about the rancher, and he鈥檚 using magical realism with this big, cosmic storm,鈥� Waguespack said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 as if you鈥檙e looking above it.鈥�

Kiowa artist T.C. Cannon鈥檚 1976 鈥淲ashington Landscape with Peace Medal Indian,鈥� acrylic on canvas, comments on the politics of living on Native land.

鈥淓ven though this is a portrait, it鈥檚 the Capitol building through the window,鈥� Waguespack said. 鈥淭hat is made from a tribal photograph where members received peace medals; the government gave them a pat on the back to be compliant.鈥�

Larry McNeil鈥檚 (Tlingit/Nisga鈥檃) 1977 鈥淩eal Indians鈥� photograph of the souvenir building near Kewa Pueblo checks a number of boxes.

鈥淗e鈥檚 talking about what it means to be Indian on this land,鈥� Waguespack said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 straddling both the Indian land and the road section. It lets us get outside of Santa Fe and sa国际传媒官网网页入口.鈥�

Minnesota Chippewa artist David Bradley often parodies historical or 鈥減op culture鈥� icons, such as the 鈥淢ona Lisa,鈥� 鈥淲histler鈥檚 Mother鈥� and 鈥淎merican Gothic.鈥� In 鈥淓l Farol: Canyon Road Cantina,鈥� 2000, acrylic on canvas, he gives viewers a snapshot of life in the old hangout. Georgia O鈥橩eeffe and Juan Hamilton huddle to the left while the band plays and Vincent van Gogh passes out on the bar. Zozobra and a Spanish colonial church stand in the background through the picture window, while a Native woman sells jewelry to the tables.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e all kind of co-mingling,鈥� Waguespack said. 鈥淪anta Fe was too small for people to be in their own silos.鈥�

Patrick Mehaffy created his 1988 sculpture 鈥淒esert Song #2鈥� using dirt from the Galisteo Basin and barbed wire.

鈥淚t鈥檚 very literal,鈥� Waguespack said. 鈥淚t references classical sculpture like Venus and ancient Egyptian sculpture. There鈥檚 that air of the ancient.鈥�

Vladem is the only Santa Fe Institution that collects contemporary art, he added.

鈥淲e want to show our commitment to contemporary art,鈥� Waguespack said. 鈥淭his is our first attempt at capturing that moment.鈥�

鈥淥ff-Center鈥� is accompanied by an oral history project, including video interviews with many of the living artists featured in the exhibition.