The University Art Museum (UAM) is delighted to announce the opening of Cruces: New Acquisitions from the NMSU Permanent Art Collection, an exhibition highlighting recent donations and acquisitions to the NMSU Permanent Art Collection. The exhibition will open on Thursday, June 5th at 5:30 pm in the University Art Museum, and will be open until August 20th, 2025.

Cruces presents a vibrant selection of recent New Mexico State University Permanent Art Collection acquisitions, showcasing works added to the collection since 2018. This exhibition brings together an eclectic range of media - including photography, sculpture, video, and even piñata paper and raw earth pigments - highlighting the diversity of the collecting practices and introducing contemporary artistic practice of artists from New Mexico and beyond. Many of the featured artists - such as Justin Favela, Jay Lynn Gomez, Paula Wilson, Rose B. Simpson, and Judy Chicago - create work deeply rooted in personal and broader cultural histories and traditions. 

The exhibition also proudly showcases select NMSU student artwork acquired during the annual Juried Student Show through the Mary Lawbaugh Purchase Award and the UAM Purchase Award, supported by the NMSU Foundation. These acquisitions recognize outstanding creative achievement by NMSU students and reinforce UAM’s commitment to nurturing emerging artists and integrating their work into NMSU’s Permanent Art Collection.

In conjunction with the opening of Cruces, the University Art Museum will also host the 10th Annual Feminist Border Arts Film and Zine Festival, a celebration of storytelling, feminist filmmaking, and creativity. The festival will take place Friday, June 6, through Saturday, June 7, 2025, and will feature curated film screenings, a pop-up zine fair, and talks from guest artists, activists, and filmmakers whose work explores identity, resistance, and social change.