During this weekend’s Santa Fe Indian Market, the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture is opening its newest exhibition, “Driving the Market.” It showcases the role of markets as a bridge between Indigenous artists and those who buy their work. KUNM sat down with the museum’s Head of Curatorial Affairs Elisa Phelps and Interim Director Danyelle Means from Oglala Lakota to find out more.
ELISA PHELPS: We're exploring art that's been created for market but also exploring what drives the market? Why are artists participating in the market? What does it mean to them? What roles does it play in their lives? And we have about 50 artists represented. So this is just the first of many shows that will allow us to explore and share contemporary Native art, which is something that the museum has always collected but has not really been a focus.
KUNM: MIAC is growing, whatever the trend or what’s popular, you know, you're able to adapt, Right?
DANYELLE MEANS: One of the things that they donors to this gallery, whose name is on the gallery, Joanne and Bob Balzer have been champions of contemporary Native art and really champions of cutting edge contemporary Native art. And one of the things that I think is really important aspect of that is that most of these big Native art markets, they all have something very unique as a part of their markets.
We really want to be able to look at how these markets are changing? What is being developed in contemporary Native art? For example, their 3D printing, how is that going to be incorporated? This idea of diverse arts, you know, what does that mean? And how are these being incorporated into museum collections as well. What are museums looking for? What are artists doing? We need to start looking at that and it's only when we put it in a gallery that maybe tourists who don't get here during Indian market can actually be able to see that and experience it in a way that people are finally waking up to.
KUNM: And could you tell me the types of mediums that will featured?
PHELPS: We have paintings and photography and pottery and jewelry and beadwork and an automobile.
KUNM: So what do you hope visitors will get from this newest exhibit?
MEANS: Gosh, you know, one of the things I think that both the museum and the Balzer’s really wanted to express with this gallery, is the idea that market art is something that tourists, that the everyday person, can really connect with the Native artist. Oftentimes, when you're buying art, you're buying through a gallery, you're buying through a middle person, you're buying through Etsy, or Instagram, but you don't have that one-on-one contact, and that's really the kind of connection to market art is that you take out the middle person. You take out that separation. And one of the things we really wanted to show with this is these artists are accessible.
There are art shows all over the country, not just the big four art markets, but there are regional shows all over the country that really highlight contemporary Native artists, and it's an opportunity for non-Native art buyers and Native art buyers I should say. Really get a chance to talk to the artists about their creations. Really understand what they wanted to convey with this. And so we want to be able to share that with our visitors, most of whom are not from New Mexico, who are sort of touring Santa Fe and really be able to let them know that they can also purchase this kind of art all over the country.
Support for this coverage comes from the Thornburg Foundation.
