Southwest Modernism refers to modern artists who were drawn to the style and subject matter of indigenous and Spanish colonial culture in the American Southwest, especially during the first half of the twentieth century. For some, the appropriation of uniquely American subject matter helped distinguish their practice from European Modernism at a time of great transatlantic collaboration. The rugged landscape, distinctive architecture and colorful Native American and Hispanic religious artifacts appealed to those who had grown weary of modern city dwelling. Such an appropriation of rural, native and non-Western visual and material culture has always been vital for the development of Modernism.