On the Cover: November 2026
Image: Courtesy of Freeman’s 2026
Sylvia Ordoñez’s “Frutero con fondo azul” sold for $2,304 at Freeman’s Collect: Post War & Contemporary Art auction on Oct. 2, 2026 in Chicago. Born in Monterrey, Mexico in 1956, Ordoñez is a celebrated Mexican artist who received her initial training from her painter father, Efrén Ordoñez, before pursuing formal education at prestigious European institutions, including the Slade School of Art in London and the Escola de la Llotja in Barcelona. She held her first exhibition in 1977 at age 21 and quickly gained recognition, winning prizes in Mexican exhibitions by 1978 and achieving international acclaim in 1990 when her work was featured in the “Women in Mexico” exhibition at the National Academy of Design in the United States.
Ordoñez’s artistic style evolved from geometric abstractionism to abstract expressionism, characterized by rich colors, traditional Mexican elements and the use of oil paint and gold leaf, as pictured in the painting featured on our cover. Her work focuses primarily on still-life compositions featuring tropical fruits and traditional kitchenware, as well as architectural subjects inspired by her adopted home of Villa de García, a small town in Nuevo León, where she relocated in the early 1980s. Her paintings combine traditional Mexican imagery with contemporary techniques, capturing the essence of domestic life and regional architecture.
Some of our other favorites, from Freeman’s Collect: Post War & Contemporary Art auction on Oct. 2, 2026 in Chicago, are featured throughout the issue.
