COMING SOON!
Who defines Native American jewelry?
What confines Native American jewelers’ expression?
Arizona State Museum explored these questions during studio visits and discussions with contemporary Southwest Native metalsmiths. The artists shared their creative lives and constantly evolving designs and techniques. Inspired by the world they live in, which is both traditional and contemporary, nothing is limiting their imaginations. Today Native jewelers are experimenting with expressing themselves, going beyond expected designs, materials, and fabrication methods, or embracing them in new ways.
This exhibit brings their words and artistry to you by showcasing the studio life of nine contemporary jewelry artists. See photographs of their studios, hands at work, and of their jewelry. Consider their thoughts on what is Native art, their inspiration and process for designing and fabricating jewelry pieces, how jewelry affects the wearer, art as a business, learning and teaching, and women working in a traditionally male craft. Try your hand at making a stamped design using traditional Navajo jewelry stamps.
Artists highlighted are:
Darryl Dean Begay, Navajo
Alex and Shane Beeshligaii, Honaghaani Nahobani (Navajo)
Althea Cajero, Santo Domingo/Acoma
Jennifer Curtis, Diné (Navajo)
Adrian Standing-Elk Pinnecoose, Navajo/Southern Ute
Pat Pruitt, Kawaika Laguna/Nde (Chiricahua Apache)
Maria Samora, Taos
Matagi Sorensen, Yavapai Apache
Exhibit Team
Lisa Falk, co-curator
Jennifer Juan, Tohono O’odham, co-curator
Grey Garduno, photographer
Lizzy Golden, exhibit designer
Ruben Urrea Moreno, preparator
With support from ASM colleagues
Ruth Jolie, associate curator of ethnology
Gina Watkinson, assistant conservator
Patrick Lyons, director
Special thanks to all the artists who generously shared their stories and studio spaces with us.