08/19/2026
Created over an entire year as a gift to the Mexican diaspora in the Twin Cities, this artwork blends Indigenous tradition, satire, and cross-border solidarity.
Artisans in Yautepec created this intricately beaded and feathered costume known as a Chinelo. The suit, titled “Immigrants,” celebrates working people across national borders and highlights the essential contributions of Mexican workers in North America. See it in gallery 281 through February 2027.
As a form of artistic resistance that emerged during the colonial period, Chinelos also embody cultural resilience. Blending Catholic and Indigenous visual traditions, elaborately masked Chinelo dancers could anonymously mock—especially during Carnival celebrations—the governing authority of European colonizers. Today, Chinelos are a popular feature of Independence Day and Carnival celebrations throughout the Mexican state of Morelos, parts of the State of Mexico, and Mexico City, especially in the boroughs of Milpa Alta, Tlalpan, Xochimilco, and Magdalena Contreras.
Through the efforts of artist and educator Xavier Tavera and the collective generosity of the artisans of Morelos, “Immigrants” entered Mia’s collection in 2025, ensuring future public appreciation of this one-of-a-kind work of art.
🖼️ Robe from "Immigrants" Chinelo costume, 2024–25. Mauricio Hernandez Chepetla lead artisan, Maria Rendon Cruz, Viridiana Chepetla Rendon, Karla Bautista Galindo, Esau Chepetla Rendon. Plastic beads, sequins, cotton cloth, velvet, palm. Given in honor of the Yautepec, Morelos artisans, and the Morelos community in Minneapolis, St. Paul. 2025.82.1
