Canon: A Mini-Symposium | Classic Veracruz Objects and the Place of Pre-Columbian Art

Canon: A Mini Symposium was held at the de Young Museum on February 7, 2013. "The View Across Central Park: Classic Veracruz Objects and the Place of Pre-Columbian Art" by Rex Koontz. Rex Koontz, PhD, Director, School of Art, University of Houston, Texas. Dr. Koontz's work centers on the art of the ancient Americas. He is currently investigating the portable sculpture tradition along the Gulf Coast of Mexico in the years AD 100--1000. These objects, known as yoke, hacha, or palma depending on their form, are important for understanding the role of artistry in ancient Mexican politics and culture. His work also explores urban spaces in this region and how art, architecture, and performance programs helped to shape and focus the ancient urban experience. Recent books include Lightning Gods and Feathered Serpents: The Public Sculpture of El Tajin and Blood and Beauty: Organized Violence in the Art and Archaeology of Mesoamerica and Central America. He has done fieldwork in Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras and is currently working on a digital tool for visual analysis, VWire, which was awarded an Digital Humanities Startup Grant from the National Endowment of the Humanities.