Folklórico
Artist: Kyle Ragsdale
Medium: Oil on canvas
Measurements: 80" x 40"
c. 2026
Located in the South Lobby of the Payne & Mencias Palladium
Inspired by a folk dance performance, Folklórico celebrates Mexican culture and its contributions to life in the Midwest. The work conveys the collaboration among mariachi musicians and folklórico dancers to create something awe-inspiring, timely and important.
The painting was created quickly and destroyed with trowels, then put back together with palette knives. Highly textured, it has a tactile quality that accentuates the dancers’ movements and the texture of the costume fabrics. Parts are blurred, while other segments come into clear focus, lending a dynamic quality that draws viewers into the scene.
What is Folklórico?
Folklórico (or Ballet Folklórico) is a collective term for traditional Mexican folk dances that combine regional cultural history with theatrical ballet characteristics. It celebrates Mexico’s rich heritage through vibrant, region-specific costumes, storytelling and intricate zapateado (footwork). Folklórico translates roughly to “dance of the people.” Rather than a single dance, it encompasses a diverse array of traditional dances that vary greatly depending on the Mexican state or region they originate from.
Local groups include:
Grupo Folklórico Macehuani of Indianapolis
Ballet Folklórico Mosaicos
About the Artist
Artist Kyle Ragsdale grew up in Texas and New Mexico, witnessing from a young age a mix of vibrant cultures and large, wild spaces. Since earning degrees from Baylor University (BFA) and Southern Methodist University (MFA), Kyle has been painting full time, working periodically as a decorative painter and stage set designer, and making fine art. He has curated exhibits in Texas and Indiana and has served as curator for the Harrison Center in Indianapolis since 2002, currently in the role of Christel DeHaan Curator.
Kyle has created paintings for Indiana Repertory Theatre for 10 seasons and has created many murals in public spaces in and around Indianapolis. His work has been shown in galleries locally and nationally and has been featured frequently on HGTV’s Good Bones.
His work has evolved many times over the years, but a primary interest has always been exploring oil paint and the many techniques and methods of manipulating surfaces to create mysterious atmospheres for his figures to come to life in. His painting practice draws on the landscape he grew up in and the vibrant cultures and communities that have marked his life since. His invented spaces envelop the wide array of figures that intuitively appear to him while painting.
About New Works
New Works: An Arts Commission Project is an initiative by Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts to promote and sustain central Indiana’s working artists and arts communities in an inclusive way by supporting the creation of new works across all performing and visual art disciplines. Generously supported by the Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation.
