NAMINGHA DAY
Artist Dan Namingha’s solo exhibition at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, Landscape of an Artist: Living Treasure Dan Namingha, opens on Sunday, March 20, and runs through Sept. 11. The show is in advance of his recognition as the MIAC’s Living Treasure for 2016. Namingha receives the award, presented by last year’s winners, artists Teri Greeves and Keri Ataumbi, on May 27, during the the opening night of the annual Native Treasures Indian Arts Festival at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center (201 W. Marcy St.). The MIAC Living Treasure award recognizes artistic excellence and community service among Native artists.
Namingha was born and raised on the Hopi reservation. He’s the great-great-grandson of Hopi-Tewa potter Nampeyo (circa 1856-1942), one of the most recognized Hopi potters. Namingha is the father of artists Arlo and Michael Namingha, whose work can be seen at their family-owned gallery, Niman Fine Art (125 Lincoln Ave.). Namingha’s career spans more than four decades, during which time he has explored abstraction, minimalism, and representationalism in works inspired by the Southwestern terrain and his HopiTewa culture. He is an experimenter who has explored ways of imparting aspects of his culture that remain respectful of the Hopi’s sacred customs. Namingha’s works are in international collections, including the British Royal Collection, London; the Denver Art Museum; the Heard Museum; the New Mexico Museum of Art; and at U.S. embassies in Copenhagen, Denmark, Senegal, and several other places.
The Sunday opening of Landscape of an Artist includes a screening of the documentary Dan Namingha: Seeking Center in Two Worlds at 1 p.m. and aQ & A with the artist at 2 p.m. Entrance to the MIAC exhibit is by museum admission (there is no charge for New Mexico residents on Sundays). The museum is at 708 Camino Lejo; 505-476-1269. The Native Treasures festival takes place over Memorial Day weekend (May 27-May 29). Tickets for the opening night events are $125 and include early admittance to the exhibit (also at the Convention Center) the next morning. Tickets can be purchased online at www. museumfoundation. org / native-treasures or by calling 505- 476-1247.
— Michael Abatemarco