Last updated: 27 October 2026
Ana Mendieta (1948 to 1985) is the Cuban-born artist who pressed the outline of her body into earth, sand and fire. Here you will find our take on her work and Tate Modern’s major show, on until January 2027.
Our take on Ana Mendieta
Mendieta’s best-known works, the Silueta Series (1973 to 1980), began on a trip to Mexico in 1973. She burned, carved and moulded life-size outlines of the body into the landscape and recorded them in photographs and film, according to Tate.
She described the roots of the work plainly in 1984: “My work is basically in the tradition of a Neolithic art.” And on materials: “I’m not interested in the formal qualities of my materials, but their emotional and sensual ones.”
Tate Modern’s Ana Mendieta brings together more than 120 works, including newly remastered films and pieces not shown in the UK before. It runs to 17 January 2027.
Ana Mendieta: the essentials
- Born in Havana, Cuba, in 1948; died in 1985.
- Sent to the United States aged 12 with her sister after the Cuban revolution.
- Studied on the Intermedia programme at the University of Iowa from 1972 to 1977.
- Moved to New York in 1978 and joined A.I.R. Gallery, a not-for-profit gallery run by women artists.
- Received the Prix de Rome from the American Academy in Rome in 1983.
Ana Mendieta exhibitions
- On now: Ana Mendieta, Tate Modern, 14 July 2026 to 17 January 2027. £18, concessions £17, Tate Collective £5, free for Members.
Where to buy Ana Mendieta
We found no prints by Mendieta on sale in the UK. Tate’s shop sells:
Ana Mendieta FAQs
When is the Ana Mendieta exhibition at Tate Modern?
From 14 July 2026 to 17 January 2027.
What is Ana Mendieta’s Silueta Series?
Works made from 1973 to 1980 in which she pressed, carved or burned the outline of a body into earth, sand, water and fire, recorded in photographs and films.
Where was Ana Mendieta from?
Havana, Cuba. She moved to the United States aged 12.
How much are tickets for the Ana Mendieta exhibition?
£18, £17 concessions, £5 for Tate Collective, and free for Tate Members.
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Main image: Ana Mendieta, Untitled, from the Silueta series, 1980. © Estate of Ana Mendieta. Photo courtesy Smithsonian American Art Museum. Framed by CoolCuration. Exhibition dates and prices last checked: 27 October 2026.
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