“Mexico City in the 1920s and 1930s was one of the great artistic centers of the modern era,” said Brian J. Lang, director of curatorial affairs at the Academy Art Museum. “What makes this exhibition so compelling is the immediacy of the prints themselves—these are not reproductions, but the very objects that helped redefine photography as a modern art form. At the same time, they reflect something larger: a moment when artists were grappling with identity, culture and place in ways that still resonate today.”

Presented as part of the Museum’s summer season, We the People, the exhibition explores themes of identity, lived experience and cultural exchange—offering a lens into how artists interpret the world around them and, in turn, shape how we understand it.

“This approach reflects a broader shift in how museums can serve their communities,” said Charlotte Potter Kasic, executive director of the Academy Art Museum. “By centering each season around a unifying theme, we’re able to be more intentional in aligning our exhibitions, programs and partnerships—creating a cohesive experience that extends beyond the gallery walls. It’s about building connection: inviting people to encounter art in ways that feel relevant to their lives and ensuring they can see themselves within the stories we’re telling.”

Through landscapes, street scenes and studies of daily life, Under the Mexican Sky reveals a visual dialogue between artists and environment—one that moves between observation and abstraction, documentation and interpretation. The result is an exhibition that feels both historically grounded and strikingly contemporary.