Mitla as Palimpsest: Architecture, Cosmology, and Iconographic Memory in the Oaxaca Valley

San Pablo Villa de Mitla (Mitla for short,) located in the Tlacolula Valley east of Oaxaca City, is for me an intellectually compelling archaeological site, as well as iconographically truly an inspiration. Unlike some pre-Hispanic sites, where meaning is conveyed through sculpture or painted imagery, Mitla communicates through architectural geometry. The beautiful grecas (intricate mosaic fretwork covering the walls of the palaces) are constructed from thousands of precisely cut stone pieces fitted together without mortar, creating repeating step-frets, spirals, andRead more

Juana Gutiérrez, Natural Dyes, and the Dyeing Traditions of Teotitlán del Valle, Mexico

Juana Gutiérrez, Natural Dyes, and the Dyeing Traditions of Teotitlán del Valle, Mexico Dr. Mark Joseph O’Connell Seneca Polytechnic, Toronto, ON, Canada I recently had the great privilege of visiting the atelier of dyer and weaver, Juana Gutierrez where she gave a lecture and demonstration on natural dyes in Oaxaca. Gutiérrez was one of the first to bring back natural dying for the contemporary woven carpet trade in Mexico. Using traditional dyestuffs she has created thousands of gorgeous colours. SheRead more

“Terrestrial Paths and Restored Memories: Art, Craft, and Collective Histories at MUAC.”

“Terrestrial Paths and Restored Memories: Art, Craft, and Collective Histories at MUAC.” Full lecture is here: The Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo, widely known as MUAC, located on the campus of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México in Mexico City. Opened to the public in November of 2008 as part of UNAM’s Centro Cultural Universitario. It was conceived as the first public museum in Mexico designed specifically to collect, research, and exhibit contemporary art. While other institutions in Mexico had presentedRead more

Memory in Metal: The Enduring Power of Renaissance Portrait Medallions at the Frick Museum

Memory in Metal: The Enduring Power of Renaissance Portrait Medallions By Dr. Mark Joseph O’Connell, Aug. 29, 2025. Fig. 1:  The Medals Room, The Frick Museum, NYC. Image courtesy of The Frick Museum, NYC. “This is not the face as mirror of the soul, but as sigil of the self.” The Mnemonic Sigil Perdures: Italian Renaissance and Later Metal Medallion Portraits from the Frick Museum Collection O’Connell (2025) Climbing the grand staircase, a feature once off-limits to the public (fig.Read more

Los Cubanos Americanos: The Collaboration of Isabel and Ruben Toledo, a Fusion of High Fashion and Art

Dr. Mark Joseph O’Connell Oct. 14, 2024. “Fabric creates movement. Not only color, but the depth of the cloth” (Isabel Toledo qtd. in Amoroso 2014) Isabel and Ruben Toledo — Cuban-born American creatives both — forged a dynamic and highly influential partnership that left a lasting imprint on fashion, design and art worlds alike. Their collaboration, which seamlessly blended their personal and professional lives, can be examined for their unique ability to merge the tactile artistry of fashion design withRead more