New Mexico Museum of Art | September 2025

“Baumannia” Arrives in Santa Fe: The final chapter of Gustave Baumann: The Artist’s Environment opens this month, filling every temporary gallery in the Plaza Building with the artist’s prints, paintings, marionettes, and more. To honor Baumann’s life and legacy, the New Mexico Museum of Art in collaboration with the New Mexico History Museum are co-presenting “Baumannia”—a celebration of programs, talks, and performances inspired by this landmark retrospective.

August’s Community Day gave us a glimpse of the enthusiasm surrounding Baumann’s work. More than 1,200 visitors joined us for a day filled with guided tours, refreshments courtesy of the Women’s Board, an open house in the library archives, and lively art activities. A highlight was the appearance of Freckles the Duende, a replica marionette animated by puppeteer Susie George, who charmed children and adults alike with playful musings about life in the museum.

On Saturday, September 28, the celebration expands across both the Museum of Art and the History Museum with a full Baumannia Community Day. Visitors can enjoy:

• Hands-on printmaking activities inspired by Baumann’s color-saturated woodcuts
• A marionette puppet performance that brings Baumann’s world to life
• A book talk with Thomas Leech and Carmella Padilla on Printing the Spirit: Gustave Baumann’s Santos
• Studio tours at the Palace Press, featuring his recreated press, handmade papers, tools, and pigments

This is a rare opportunity to experience Baumann’s enduring artistry in multiple forms and settings.

From Santa Fe to the Four Corners: Taking Baumann Statewide:

Baumann’s work resonates far beyond Santa Fe, and the Museum is committed to sharing it across the state. With that in mind, we are developing a specialized pop-up exhibition that can travel to schools, libraries, and community centers statewide.

The exhibition, Gustave Baumann’s New Mexico: Poetic Landscapes and Enchanting Storytelling, will feature high-quality replicas of Baumann’s prints and marionettes accompanied by interpretive materials, hands-on engagement elements, and teacher-friendly learning resources. The pop-up format encourages slow looking—inviting visitors to spend time observing Baumann’s use of color and line while reflecting on deeper themes of belonging, emotion, and perception.

By meeting communities where they are, the Museum hopes to extend Baumann’s legacy to audiences who may never have the opportunity to visit our Santa Fe galleries. It’s one more way we are ensuring that the spirit of Baumann belongs to all of New Mexico.