New Mexico Museum of Art

Finding a Contemporary Voice: The Legacy of Lloyd Kiva New and IAIA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 08, 2016

MEDIA CONTACT


May 21 – October 10, 2016

Taking a Fritz Scholder group portrait of IAIA faculty and the legacy of the institution’s first artistic director, Lloyd Kiva New, as starting points, Finding a Contemporary Voice: The Legacy of Lloyd Kiva New and IAIA includes work from the New Mexico Museum of Art’s collection by IAIA faculty and alumni from the 1960s to the present such as Scholder, Neil Parsons, T.C. Cannon, Melanie Yazzie, Hulleah Tsinhnahjinnie, and Will Wilson. The Museum of Art’s free to the public exhibition opening is on Friday, May 20, 2016. The exhibition is open May 21, 2016 through Oct. 10, 2016.

Finding a Contemporary Voice complements concurrent exhibitions at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture (A New Century: The Life and Legacy of Cherokee Artist and Educator Lloyd "Kiva" New) and the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Art Lloyd Kiva New: Art, Design, and Influence. All three exhibitions and associated symposia, lectures, and other events celebrate the centennial of Native American artist Lloyd Kiva New’s birth by focusing on key aspects of his significant contributions to contemporary Native culture.

New (Cherokee, 1916-2002) encouraged looking at innovative techniques and forms as a path to creating contemporary indigenous art. IAIA’s founding in 1962 intersects with a significant moment in the history of western art when ethnicity and culture, political ideology, feminism, and the inclusion of personal narratives became legitimate forms of expression in mainstream contemporary art. IAIA’s early years were also an era of consciousness raising and civil rights movements in the United States. Native American self-determination was a major issue for many indigenous artists.

Enough time has passed that the early days of IAIA, looking back half a century now, can be historicized and examined in greater context. The institution was founded during a period of great change and spurred shifts in how indigenous artists viewed themselves and their art, paving the way for Native American artists to take their place in the global contemporary art field. Looking at the issues of identity still being raised in contemporary Native American art, it is clear that the artwork of the 1960s and 70s began a conversation that continues to this day.

Please visit the Museum of Art’s website for more information about the exhibition and related programs.

Image credit: Kevin Red Star, Running Rabbit, 1978, lithograph, 40 1/2 x 29 1/4 in. Collection of the New Mexico Museum of Art. Gift of Elizabeth and Duncan Boeckman, 2000 (2000.7.2) © Kevin Red Star


Media Contacts: Steve Cantrell, PR Manager 505-476-1144 Steve.Cantrell@state.nm.us Carmen Vendelin, Curator of Art 505-476-5062 Carmen.Vendelin@state.nm.us


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Founded in 1917 as the Art Gallery of the Museum of New Mexico, the New Mexico Museum of Art has been presenting innovative arts programming in downtown Santa Fe for close to 100 years.  At its founding the museum collected and exhibited artworks by noted artists from New Mexico and elsewhere. This tradition continues today with a wide array of exhibitions and a significant collection featuring work from the world’s leading artists. Today, as at its founding, the New Mexico Museum of Art strives to bring the art of New Mexico to the world and the art of the world to New Mexico.

The New Mexico Museum of Art is a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs, New Mexico’s cultural steward charged with preserving and showcasing the state’s cultural riches. Museum exhibitions and programs are supported by donors to the Museum of New Mexico Foundation and its Director’s Leadership Fund, Exhibitions Development Fund, and Fund for Museum Education.

The Museum is located at 107 West Palace Avenue, Santa Fe, New Mexico, just off the downtown Plaza. 24 Hr. Recorded Message: 505-476-5072; Front desk: 505-476-5041. November through April the museum is open Tuesdays - Sundays: 10 am-5 pm and open for free 5 to 8 pm on the first Friday of the month. May through October the museum is open 7 days a week 10 am-5 pm and is open for free every Friday night from 5 to 8 pm. The Museum is closed on Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. Weather conditions may require the Museum to close; you can check with the Front Desk at 505-476-5041. Visit us on the web for the latest updates at www.nmartmuseum.org.

 

 


Related Photos

Kevin Red Star, Running Rabbit
Will Wilson, How the West is One, diptych
Will Wilson, How the West is One, diptych
Melanie Yazzie, The U.S. Government Will Never White Wash My Grandparents

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