Miguel Hernández Urbán (1936-2017) was a distinguished Mexican artist whose prolific career spanned painting, printmaking, and, most notably, monumental sculpture. A master of diverse media and styles, he is particularly celebrated for his pioneering use of stainless steel in large-scale public artworks, through which he explored universal themes of human existence, vastness, and contemplation.
Early Life and Foundations in Mexican Art
Born in Tultepec, State of Mexico, in 1936, Miguel Hernández Urbán exhibited an early interest in the arts, including a passion for classical music. His formal artistic journey began at the prestigious Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas (San Carlos Academy) in Mexico City, where he specialized in sculpture. During these formative years, he had the invaluable opportunity to work as an assistant to two giants of Mexican muralism: David Alfaro Siqueiros and José Chávez Morado. This direct exposure to their monumental scale and socially engaged art profoundly influenced his understanding of public art’s potential. He also received significant training in painting under the tutelage of Antonio Rodríguez Luna, alongside a generation of notable painters including Javier Arévalo and Luis Nishizawa. From the 1960s, Hernández Urbán’s artistic activity gained momentum, attracting positive critical acclaim and leading to exhibitions both in Mexico and internationally.
Evolution Across Media: From Painting to Printmaking
Hernández Urbán was a truly versatile artist, adept in oils, acrylics, tempera, and various printmaking techniques like engraving and lithography. His early work, particularly his paintings and graphic art, saw him experiment with a range of styles, from figurative representations and costumbrismo (depicting local customs) to surrealism and abstract art.
Throughout his diverse stylistic explorations, a consistent thematic thread emerged: his works often evoked a “strange sensation of unprotectedness and desolation in a vastness with neither orientation nor direction.” This characteristic quality suggested spaces where “time seems to be suspended in a tremendous attitude of waiting,” inviting viewers into a contemplative and existential dialogue. His canvases, whether depicting a “Paisaje surreal” or a scene from daily life, demonstrated a profound ability to render an inner psychological landscape.
The Stainless Steel Innovator: Monumental Sculpture
In the 1980s, Miguel Hernández Urbán’s career took a decisive turn as he returned to sculpture, focusing on groundbreaking experimentation with stainless steel. By the 1990s, he was creating monumental works in this material, becoming a significant pioneer in its use for large-scale public art in Mexico and beyond. He recognized stainless steel’s potential to represent modern, urban culture, valuing its lightweight, weather-resistant properties, and its capacity to refract sunlight in compelling ways.
His monumental sculptures became fixtures in public spaces, both nationally and internationally. Notable commissions include the impressive monument to General Lázaro Cárdenas in Michoacán (1973), which remains one of his most significant sculptural achievements. Other prominent public works include “Man and Energy,” “Monument to Peace,” and “Independence, the Reformation and the Revolution.” Perhaps one of his most iconic and widely recognized pieces is “La Tehuana” (Zapotec Woman), a monumental sculpture on the main highway entrance to Tehuantepec, Oaxaca, which has become a beloved symbol of the region. His international recognition led to commissions in countries like Thailand (including a work for the commemoration of King Bhumibol Adulydesen) and France, as well as a piece for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
A testament to his commitment to promoting this innovative material was his founding of the Symposium on Stainless Steel Sculpture in his hometown of Tultepec in 1992—the first event of its kind in the world. This symposium attracted artists from across the Americas, Europe, and Asia, further cementing his legacy as a visionary in contemporary sculpture.
Legacy and Public Collections
Miguel Hernández Urbán passed away in Tultepec, State of Mexico, in 2017. He left behind an invaluable legacy as an artist who seamlessly blended his classical training with a modernist sensibility and a pioneering spirit. His works are held in prestigious collections throughout Mexico, including the National Institute of Fine Arts (INBA), the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), the Museum of Art, and the Contemporary Museum of Morelia, ensuring his continued recognition as a pivotal figure in Mexican contemporary art. Through his diverse oeuvre, from contemplative paintings to majestic steel sculptures, Hernández Urbán continues to invite viewers to engage with the profound interplay of form, space, and the human spirit.