Consuelo Jimenez Underwood American, b. 1949

Renowned as a pioneer of the American Craft Movement and a leading voice in the “craft vs. art” debate that shaped the art world more than 30 years ago, Consuelo Jimenez Underwood is recognized as the first artist to weave barbed wire directly into traditional textiles. For this Chicana fiber artist, barbed wire is a signature medium for critiquing national borders and the violence along the U.S.–Mexico dividing line. Translated as “my gold, your love,” the painted canvas depicts an early map of what was known as New Spain during colonial times and later became Mexico, until 1848. Mexico is visible but partly concealed behind slats of barbed wire tightly wrapped in gold. Gold thread is embroidered across the canvas in a grid that symbolizes maps and, more pointedly, the European plundering of the Americas. Hidden in the piece, however, are beans and corn kernels, which Jimenez Underwood calls the “true gift” of the Americas.

Barbed wire was invented in the 19th century, but gained historical significance in San Antonio in the 1870s, where it revolutionized Texas ranching and agriculture. Its introduction there marked a turning point in the American West, bringing together innovation, entrepreneurship, and practical demonstration to transform both the landscape and the economy.