To Take Back our Breath

A groundbreaking journey through Maya women’s art, agency, and enduring cultural influence Addressing the long-standing absence of Maya women in conventional histories of art, this groundbreaking book highlights the artistic accomplishments of Maya women, as well as their broader influence on Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities in Mexico, Central America, and beyond. Victoria Isabel Lyall and Michelle Rich also interrogate the perceived division between the ancient Maya and their contemporary descendants, highlighting an often-overlooked, yet vibrant, living culture. Bilingual with English and Spanish text, and richly illustrated with a unique fusion of ancient Maya objects and artworks from contemporary Maya and other Indigenous artists, this book guides readers through nine spaces, examining how Maya women have occupied and transformed them into arenas for intergenerational learning, physical and spiritual nourishment, power, and protest. The spaces explored in the book are: • streets/las calles • plazas/las plazas • markets/los mercados • maize fields/las milpas • patios/los patios • kitchens/las cocinas • the natural world/la naturaleza • the built world/el mundo construido • bodies/los cuerpos Complementing Lyall and Rich’s perspective of how each space resonates across time in works of art, profiles of Maya women contribute brief biographies and personal points of view that further underline the significant contributions of Maya women in both ancient times and today. Published in association with the Denver Art Museum and the Dallas Museum of Art Exhibition Schedule: Denver Art Museum (April 18–September 6, 2027) Dallas Museum of Art (October 17, 2027–February 20, 2028) Mississippi Museum of Art (June TK–November TK, 2028)