This extraordinary exhibition brings together ancient artifacts and contemporary icons that trace three millennia of spiritual beliefs and sacred rituals in Mexico. From the profound cosmovisions of Mesoamerica through the arrival of 16th-century Roman Catholicism, to the living expressions of popular faith today, these works of art tell a powerful story of devotion. Together, they reveal sacred rituals and beliefs that transcend time—bearing witness to humanity’s enduring search for meaning and connection, and echoing themes of resilience, purpose, and, above all, hope. 

Images of Faith was the inaugural exhibition at the National Museum of Mexican Art in 1987. This new presentation revisits and expands that vision, embracing not only Catholic traditions but also the spiritual principles of ancient Mesoamerican societies and present-day Indigenous communities. The exhibition explores timeless existential questions—creation and origin stories, beliefs about the afterlife, concepts of time and the cosmos, pilgrimages, and sacred landscapes—inviting visitors into a deeply human dialogue that continues to shape identity, belief, and belonging across generations.

Participating Artists:

Marcial Camilo Ayala (Guerrero)
Fray Joaquín Bolaños (1700s)
Hermenegildo Bustos (1832-1907)
Miguel Cabrera (1710-1768)
Pilar Calvo (1913-1986)
Elena Climent (Morelos)
Víctor Cruz (Guerrero)
Daniel Martin Diaz (Arizona)
Nicolás Enríquez (1738-ca. 1770)
Sabina Elías Felipe (Michoacán)
Esperanza Felipe Mulato (Michoacán)
Alejandro García Nelo (Estado de Mexico)
Demetrio García Aguilar (Oaxaca)
Alberto Garduño (1885-1948)
Miguel González (mid-1600s – ca.1704)
Jorge González Camarena (1908-1980)
Mario González Chavajay (Guatemala)
Manuel González de la Parra (1954-2012)
Saturnino Herrán (1887-1918)
María Izquierdo (1902-1955)
Arthur Lopez (New Mexico)
Paul Lozano (Jalisco)
Antonia Martínez Álbarez (Michoacán)
Ariel Mendoza (Oaxaca)
Carlos Mérida (1891-1984)
Pedro Meyer (Mexico City)
Primitivo Miranda (1822-1897)
Delilah Montoya (New Mexico)
Paula Nicho Cúmez (Guatemala)
José de Páez (1721-ca.1790)
Tatiana Parcero (Mexico City)
Sebastián Salcedo (1700s)
José Antonio Soteno Fernández (Estado de México)
Samuel Stradanus (1600s)
Rufino Tamayo (1899-1991)
Vicente Telles (New Mexico)
Charles Townsend (1896-1975)
Alfredo Vilchis (Mexico City)
Francisco Ximénez (1666-1729)
Mariana Yampolsky (1925-2002)
And a great number of unidentified artists