Museum of Art showcases Into the Hourglass: Paño Arte from the Rudy Padilla Collection
The Las Cruces Museum of Art is presenting Into the Hourglass: Paño Arte from the Rudy Padilla Collection, a traveling exhibition of Chicano prison art from the National Hispanic Cultural Center, on display through Jan. 3, 2026.
Traveling exhibition highlights Chicano prison art from the National Hispanic Cultural Center, now on view through Jan. 3
Organ Mountain News report
LAS CRUCES - The Museum of Art is featuring Into the Hourglass: Paño Arte from the Rudy Padilla Collection, an exhibition of paño art and related works from the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque. The exhibit is open to the public through Jan. 3, 2026.
Paño art is a traditional form that emerged in prisons across the Southwestern United States, especially in facilities with large Hispanic and Chicano populations. The word paño — Spanish for “cloth” — refers to the white handkerchiefs that serve as a canvas for incarcerated artists. Using ballpoint pens, colored pencils, and improvised materials, they create intricate, deeply personal works that reflect identity, culture, and memory.
In addition to paños, the exhibit features small sculptures crafted from recycled items such as cigarette packs, chip bags, magazines, and paper. These three-dimensional pieces include picture frames, baby booties, belts, and purses, alongside drawings made on envelopes.
The National Hispanic Cultural Center holds the largest public collection of paño art in the United States. Rudy Padilla collected hundreds of pieces across the Southwest before the NHCC Art Museum acquired his collection in 2019. Into the Hourglass first opened at the NHCC in 2023 and is now traveling nationwide. Las Cruces is the second stop on the tour.
The exhibition also includes several special programs. Two screenings of the documentary Paño Arte: Voices from the Inside are scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, and 5:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5. A Zoom conversation with the film’s director, Evangeline Griego, will take place at 1 p.m. Dec. 5. On Saturday, Nov. 22, from 1 to 2 p.m., Sara NcNie Flores will discuss her work as an art coordinator in a youth detention facility.
Additional events are being developed. Updates are available through Las Cruces Museums’ social media channels or by contacting Bryan Lee at blee@lascruces.gov.
The Museum of Art, located at 491 N. Main St., is open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free. The museum is accessible via Roadrunner Transit Route 1, Stop 1. For more information, visit lascruces.gov/museums or call 575-541-2137.
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