Carlos Lara and Miguel Ángel Ríos Examine Colonial Conquest and Pain in Marfa

Two concurrent exhibitions at Maintenant in Marfa, Texas, explore colonial conquest and enduring pain through equestrian imagery and contorted cowboy boots. In "Todos Somos Conquistadores," Mexican artist Carlos Lara uses horse-shaped flags in the Chihuahuan Desert to evoke the history of domination, referencing works like "Napoleón Cruzando los Alpes por Jacques-Louis David." The title implicates viewers as conquerors, urging self-responsibility. Meanwhile, Miguel Ángel Ríos's "Watch Your Step!" features paintings of inside-out cowboy boots revealing bruised feet, symbolizing the pain of conformity. Works like "Ay en la torre!!! Ay en la madre!!!" add dark humor. Both exhibitions run through September 27, 2026, and address how colonial legacies and social pressures persist in the landscape of West Texas.