Luis Alfonso Jimenez, Eagle, 2003, polychrome fiberglass, 55 x 78 x 61 in. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas, 2011.31. © Estate of Luis A. Jimenez, Jr. / Licensed by Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photography by Edward C. Robison III.
The eagle in Luis Alfonso Jimenez’s work cuts a menacing profile, fitting for an animal meant to symbolize the strength of two nations. Born in El Paso to a Mexican father and American mother, Jimenez’s works often underscored his Mexican-American heritage. Here a bald eagle, specifically associated with the United States, stands atop a cactus as a rattlesnake slithers along the back of the work—both references to the Mexican flag.