Ritual and Architecture

Barton was an avid traveler, visiting Los Angeles, Barcelona, Mexico City, and Yucatán between 1958 and 1962. He documented his journeys in drawings of notable buildings, such as the Basílica of the Sagrada Família in Barcelona and the Casa de Montejo in Mérida, Yucatán. He was captivated by churches, in some cases recording not only their structures and elaborate ornamentation but also the rituals held within. Like many artists, especially those in the Beat milieu, Barton was attracted to a variety of spiritual traditions. But the rich visual culture and symbolism of Catholicism seem to have held particular fascination.