Miriam Schapiro’s A Mayan Garden is a mixed media “femmage,” a term and technique Schapiro developed, which consists of textile arts, collage, and painting. The fan is a prominent motif in her oeuvre which she often combines with female symbols such as flowers, hearts, or houses, transforming it into an expression of female empowerment. It is designed to boldly confront sexist thought and dignify women.

Schapiro is one of the foremost pioneers in the feminist art movement in the United States. Her work pays homage to the undervalued domestic traditions of women and helped to widen the acceptance of textiles as a fine arts medium. Furthermore, works like A Mayan Garden address significant trends in contemporary art such as the use of pattern or the continuation of traditions from the Arts and Crafts movement.