O giver of Life,
Who paints with flowers,
Who bestows color with songs,
Who gives form to all those
Who dwell on earth;
We live here only
In your book of paintings.
Ballads of the Lords of New Spain, about 1560
Attributed to Nezahualcoyotl, Nahua poet, ruler of Texcoco
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art’s first presentation of Mesoamerican art in 40 years, Painted Worlds: Color and Culture in Mesoamerican Art explores the relationships between color, the cosmos, and creation — both divine and artistic — in the region comprising much of modern-day Mexico and Central America.
A sacred spectrum
Painted Worlds traces a color-coded journey through the story of creation: from birth to maturity to primordial darkness.
Along the way, learning stations and multimedia experiences teach us about the sciences of color-making, interpret dialogues between Western and Indigenous practices, map the Mesoamerican idea of the cosmos, and explore what new international scientific research reveals about Indigenous knowledge and traditions.
The Stuff of Life
Painted Worlds highlights the breadth of Mesoamerican art across roughly 250 objects, many rarely or never seen before in the U.S. Glittering mosaics, intricate textiles, mural fragments from Teotihuacán, richly colored ceramics — these and more remarkable objects on view reveal how Mesoamerican artists expressed their worldviews through the manipulation of color and natural materials. Guests can enjoy a rare, close-up look at the Codex Laud, a book of divination and one of only about 15 surviving texts that predate Spanish colonization. The codex is made newly accessible through tactile and digital experiences.
Codex Laud (Codex Mictlan) Mexican, Pre-Hispanic, possibly 15th century. Painting on gesso ground, deerskin with covers of jaguar skin.
Living arts
Spanning 3,000 years of Indigenous Mesoamerican art, Painted Worlds reveals how traditions continued from the pre-Hispanic past to today — often disrupted and changed by colonial forces. The contemporary Indigenous artists featured in this exhibition are in conversation with their ancestors, having maintained and revitalized traditional knowledge.
Members see special exhibitions for free
In return for their support, Nelson-Atkins members receive myriad benefits — including early access and free daily admission to special exhibitions like Painted Worlds.
Visit the Nelson-Atkins Info Desk in Bloch Lobby to ask about rolling the price of your exhibition ticket into the cost of a new membership.
Inside the Exhibition
Related programs & resources
Future of Museums and Mesoamerican Art
Leading voices from nationally renowned institutions discuss projects that challenge historic museum design and offer new models for art presentation and interpretation, with a particular focus on Mesoamerican collections.
Teacher Resource Guide
Find downloadable resources with discussion questions, activity ideas, and multimedia items that can support your students’ learning.
Library Research Guide
Strategies for starting your research projects and exploring publications related to past exhibitions.
Art Bytes Podcast
Dr. Saborit is a renowned historian, essayist, and translator. He specializes in cultural history, examining the intersection of literature, history, and modern Mexican society.
Night/Shift: UltraVivid
Dial up the saturation for a vibrant celebration of color and culture across time and place, from ancient Mesoamerica to contemporary Kansas City
Party Arty: Painted Night
The signature fundraiser of the Young Friends of Art promises vivid fits, bold vibes, and pops of color worthy of the finest palette — all in support of art education at the Nelson-Atkins.
Painted Worlds Symposium
Explore the colors, materials, and meanings of Indigenous Mesoamerican art in the art history symposium, co-hosted by UMKC.
Adorning Watery Stone: Liquid Dynamics of Precious Stones in LPC Mexico
Artist talk from Porfirio Gutiérrez
Reflecting on tradition: Xalitla painting workshops and…museum-academic practices
A Conservation Study…Modern Codex at The Nelson-Atkins
Axis Mundi: Art, Space, and Ceiba Trees in…Mesoamerican and Afro-Atlantic Worlds
Painting worlds through language: Bodying the landscape in Me’phaa
Painting the Rain: Pigment…on…Stucco Architecture at Ucanha, Yucatán
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Browse Museum Store picks inspired by the exhibition
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Organized by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Major loans courtesy of the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, Mexico. In Kansas City, generous support provided by Lilly Endowment Inc., Paul DeBruce and Linda Woodsmall-DeBruce, G. Kenneth and Ann Baum Philanthropic Fund, Evelyn Craft Belger and Richard Belger, Nancy and Rick Green, Bill and Sara Morgan, the Muriel McBrien Kauffman Family Foundation, Don Hall Jr., Shirley and Barnett Helzberg Jr., Neil Karbank and Gretchen Calhoun, Richard J. Stern Foundation for the Arts, JE Dunn, the Campbell/Calvin Fund for Exhibitions, and the Henry & Marion Bloch Foundation Fund.
