Nicholas Herrera: El Rito Santero is a glimpse into the life and works of master santero Nicholas Herrera. Herrera, born and raised in El Rito, New Mexico, is a folk artist whose family was among the earliest settlers in the region. Claiming Spanish, Native American, and Mexican ancestry, Herrera identifies as mestizo and descends from farmers and outlaws, landowners and soldiers, craftsmen and artists. He grew up around the Spanish traditions of Northern New Mexico and came of age with a fast-paced lifestyle that resulted in a serious car accident at the age of 26. After awakening in the hospital and recovering from a coma, Herrera felt called to become a saint maker.
As a modern santero, Herrera creates bultos, retablos, and large-scale mixed media works, many of which detail rich and often challenging chapters in his storied life. Through varied mediums, this exhibition surveys Herrera’s personal identity, family history, relationship to place, and political ideology. Still a “village artist,” Herrera continues to reside, regenerate, and create on the land of his family.
Harwood Museum of Art is proud to exhibit the first solo museum exhibition of Nicholas Herrera.
Nicholas Herrera, El Rito Santero, acrylic on hand carved wood, 12 x 20 x 13.25. Courtesy of Michael and Jennifer Travis.
Nicholas Herrera, San Isidro, 2016, wood with natural pigments, 24 x 36 inches. Courtesy of Tia Collection, Santa Fe, NM. James Hart Photography.
Nicholas Herrera, Altar, Dedicado a mi Hermano, hand carved wood with natural pigments, 129 x 62 x 13.25 in. Image courtesy of Evoke Contemporary.
