(PDF) (DOC) (JPG)October 13, 2009

(MAHWAH, NJ) – “Marcial Camilo Ayala” will open in the Pascal Gallery at Ramapo College of New Jersey on Thursday, November 5 and continue on view through December 9.

The exhibition of paintings by Marcial Camilo Ayala features dream-like landscapes, village scenes, and imagery drawn from other sources. The artist is from the Guerrero region of Mexico, where he is the best-known practitioner of amate painting, a technique in which artists paint on a bark surface. His connection with Ramapo College dates back to the late Ramapo donor Selden Rodman’s writings which introduced his work to a US audience.

The Ramapo exhibition consists of selections from the Thompson Collection at Ramapo College combined with private collection loans. The Thompson Collection was given to Ramapo College by noted folk art collectors Maurice and Linda Thompson of Connecticut. A significant number of other works on view are from the private collection of economics professor and New York Timescolumnist Dr. Tyler Cowen of Virginia. Cowen is the author of the book “Markets and Cultural Voices” which evaluates several Mexican amate artists in the context of globalization. 

In late 2009, Ramapo College received a valuable gift of eight early paintings by the artist from collector Larry Kent in California. Several of these important works will be included in the exhibition.

Marcial Camilo Ayala’s paintings are in the collections of numerous major museums including the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico and the Smithsonian. The National Museum of the American Indian on the Mall in Washington, D.C. has a permanent display of his works.

Concurrently, works by related Mexican artists will be presented in two other exhibitions on the Ramapo College campus: the Potter Library Galleries and the Selden Rodman Gallery of Popular Arts in B Wing.

A preview reception will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Wednesday, November 4, and a talk by Dr. Tyler Cowen is scheduled for 6 p.m.
This program is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. 

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About Ramapo College

Ramapo College of New Jersey is the state’s premier public liberal arts college and is committed to academic excellence through interdisciplinary and experiential learning, and international and intercultural understanding. The comprehensive college is situated among the beautiful Ramapo Mountains, is within commuting distance to New York City, was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful College Campuses in America by CondeNast Traveler, and boasts the best on-campus housing in New Jersey per Niche.com. Established in 1969, Ramapo College offers bachelor’s degrees in the arts, business, data science, humanities, social sciences and the sciences, as well as in professional studies, which include business, education, nursing and social work. In addition, the College offers courses leading to teacher certification at the elementary and secondary levels, and offers graduate programs leading to master’s degrees in Accounting, Applied Mathematics, Business Administration, Contemporary Instructional Design, Computer Science, Creative Music Technology, Data Science, Educational Leadership, Nursing, Social Work and Special Education, as well as a Doctor of Nursing Practice.

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