About
The importance of the arts as communication, in the past, the present and the future, is pivotal.
This belief is the keystone of our programs, and it is the foundation for our primary goal, which is to expose students to the richness of art through a wide range of new and traditional media. We also seek to develop critical thought in our classes, and the practice and methods for understanding the teaching of the arts and the history of art.
The Department is dedicated to providing the best education possible no matter which degree a student might be pursuing. We are also committed to benefiting UNM, the city of Albuquerque, the state of New Mexico, as well as national, and international communities. To achieve these aims, the Department maintains a world-class faculty that is actively engaged in creative art, art education, and art history.
Art Department News
Voces del Pueblo: Artists of the Levantamiento Chicano in New Mexico
Professor Ray Hernández-Durán and Dr. Irene Vasquez are leading a groundbreaking project documenting first-generation New Mexican Chicana/o activism. The exhibition debuts April 25, 2025, at the National Hispanic Cultural Center.
Southwest Contemporary features UNM College of Fine Arts Graduate Student’s MFA Thesis Show, “The Hyperlocal: Jess Lanham”
Jessica Lanham March 2025 | Albuquerque, NM Since the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fires, Jess Lanham has been creating work about the stark changes in her hometown of Las Vegas, New Mexico, using fragments and wildfire ash. Even while pursuing her undergraduate degree...
Native American Environmental Arts & Humanities 2024-2025 Scholarship Recipients
The UNM Center for Environmental Arts & Humanities (CEAH) in the Department of Art is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2024-2025 Native American Environmental Arts and Humanities Scholarship for undergraduate students. There are seven recipients this...