100 Dialogues Preserving Hispanic Art and Culture
LIVING UP TO ITS REPUTATION OF bringing Taos arts to the world and world arts to Taos, the Harwood Museum of Art hosted another highlight event during Hispanic Heritage Month on Sept. 20 celebrating the rich artistic and cultural contributions of the Hispanic culture to the world. The event was designed to stimulate interest and expand awareness of the enduring influence of past and present artistic contributions of Hispanic culture in Northern New Mexico and throughout the Southwest and the United States.
The presentation featured an impressive panel of artists and distinguished scholars from Taos and the greater Southwest, alongside generational New Mexico community members whose lesser-known stories are not usually heard. Alicia Romero, curator of history at the Albuquerque Museum and a specialist in New Mexico Hispanic Culture, moderated the panel.
She is known for curating exhibitions that feature extensive diverse research and unique perspectives that emphasize connections between the past and present.
The panel featured four speakers from New Mexico: Gustavo Victor Goler, conservator and artist; Angelo Sandoval, master santero; Carmella Padilla, historian, journalist and author; and Luis Tapia, contemporary sculptor.
Gustavo Victor Goler focused his dialogue on the challenges, intricacies and rewards of restoring cultural and religious art pieces in the interiors of old churches in New Mexico, such as the recent project in Las Trampas, a true community endeavor. He first became known as a devotional carver of santos. His extensive knowledge of the history of the cultural arts and early santos and santeros of New Mexico eventually led him to work as a conservator, work to which he remains devoted. He has received wide recognition with such esteemed awards as the Dis
tinguished Achievement Award, Master Award for Lifetime Achievement and The Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts.
Angelo Sandoval is a prominent figure within his community and church, which honors him as a master santero, penitente and mayordomo of the San Antonio de Padua Church in Cordova, N.M., along with his cousin, master santero Jerry Sandoval. His dialogue spoke for members of the generational community who perform a vital role in preserving Hispanic history and religious traditions. As native New Mexican mayordomos, penitentes, parishioners and caretakers, they devote their time and work to preserve the cultural fabric of the past by supporting each other in efforts to maintain a connection with their roots by protecting and caring for the preservation of old churches within their daily lives. He has participated in projects such as the recent conservation/restoration at the San Antonio de Padua Church. Since then, Angelo’s initiatives have created a greater interest in preserving cultural activities and the conservation of other historic churches across Northern New Mexico.
Carmella Padilla’s work explores the intersection of art, culture and history in relation to the cultural identity of Hispanics. She has published several historically significant books, one of which explored the art and life of Luis Tapia. She has received many prestigious awards for her diverse works. In this event, she focused her dialogue on educating the audience about the history of the craft of furniture making and its evolvement in twentieth century New Mexican furniture, a subject that has wide appeal and is easy for anyone to relate to.
Luis Tapia, a Chicano sculptor, was the panel’s last speaker. He shared his personal journey with wood, from his first contact with it as a young man, to his tutelage under other woodworkers who taught him the craft of furniture making, to restoration of historical furniture and designs, and eventually how he came to embrace his own unique artistic expression in contemporary sculpture. He is recognized for reinterpreting the 400-year-old legacy of Catholic devotional art in New Mexico as a modern form of cultural and social commentary on current social and political issues. His unconventional sculptures recast hallowed religious themes and artistic techniques, transforming the “traditional” New Mexican art of saint making to raise awareness about immigration, addiction, identity, racial injustice, crime and pedophilia in the Catholic Church. Though initially controversial, his bold, provocative, often humorous approach elevated Tapia as a trailblazing contemporary sculptor whose work remains rooted in a local landscape that transcends global, cultural and ethnic borders.
Tapia has received many honors for his life’s work. In late September 2023, he received the prestigious National Endowment for the Arts Heritage Fellowship in Washington, D.C., the nation’s highest honor in heritage arts, recognizing artistic excellence, lifetime achievement and contributions to the cultural and artistic heritage of the U.S.
The event was well attended by an appreciative audience that expressed praise at the end for the wealth of information about the rich cultural legacy of Northern New Mexico Hispanic Art impart to the world.