The sculpted, carved, and incised vessels in Fowler in Focus: Monochrome Ceramics from Ancient Mexico testify to the rich ceramic history of ancient Mexico. In stark contrast to brilliantly painted Mesoamerican ceramics, the makers of these objects seem to have deliberately rejected color in favor of an aesthetic valuing the sculpted form. Since many of the works were contemporaneous with polychrome ceramic styles, they are understood to reflect a conscious artistic choice to stand apart from the colorful arts of Mesoamerica.

Ranging from the Preclassic to the Postclassic periods, these styles reveal intercultural connections, such as between Teotihuacan, the great Classic urban center in Central Mexico, and the Maya region. This fine display of thirty-five monochrome ceramics—including elegant jars shaped as calabashes, vessels expertly sculpted to represent various animals, and bowls carved with figural scenes or fantastic creatures—highlight how ceramic styles were shared, appropriated, and transformed at specific historical moments in ancient Mexico.

The ceramics on display are grouped by region, with works from Colima in West Mexico, Teotihuacan in Central Mexico, and the Maya in Southern Mexico, along with two cases of effigy jars used by different cultures in ceremonies.

This exhibition commemorates the bicentennial of the Mexican War of Independence and centennial of the Mexican Revolution by showcasing the pre-Columbian heritage of Mexico. The diverse indigenous cultures of Mesoamerica fundamentally shaped what became the Mexican nation and continue to enrich Mexico’s culture today.