Courtesy Wheelwright Museum
Over the Borderline
Wheelwright looks at the borderlands through the eyes of contemporary women artists
The Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian's Chief Curator Andrea Hanley has had her eye on artists Makaye Lewis (Tohono O'odham), Daisy Quezada Ureña (Mexican-American), M. Jenea Sanchez (Latinx), and Gabriela Muñoz (Latinx) for some time.
"These are artists I've been watching since some were in school," Hanley tells SFR. "They're all powerhouses."
It's why she jumped at a chance to feature all four in the upcoming exhibit Indigenous Women: Border Matters, a show built around them specifically, that simply couldn't be derailed by COVID-19, and that examines issues faced by women of color who live, work and exist near the US/Mexico border.
"They've thoughtfully addressed, I think, ways that are both very personal and very far-reaching," Hanley explains. "They're connecting and inspiring people who maybe don't understand or don't witness the uncertainties faced by a lot of women of color today."
This, of course, comes in many forms. Quezada Ureña's porcelain garments, for example, reach a level of stunning detail while illustrating the histories of bodies on the move. When applied to the concept of crossing borders—be it the folks who do it regularly, or those in search of something better or different—the tone feels somber, even chilling.
Lewis' linocut prints wow as well with bright yellows that subtly conceal more intense themes, some of which emerge within an instant. Others take a longer look.
Elsewhere in the show, portraits by Muñoz eschew photo-realism for overall feel (you'll be shocked by the emotion she conveys without erring into the overwrought), and a collaboration between Muñoz and Sanchez—similar portraits created on stacked adobe bricks—conjures reminders of building and tradition, but also impermanence, fragility and power.
"These women are looking at ways to talk about equity and human rights for women of color," Hanley adds. "It just shows how many women around the world try to contribute to the well-being of their communities, their sisters, their friends. That's a really great thing."
Border Matters opens with a virtual event this Friday, which includes pre-recorded remarks from newly minted Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) and US Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez. The show opens for in-person visits this Saturday. (Alex De Vore)
Indigenous Women: Border Matters Opening:
6 pm Friday, March 19. Free.
Freedom of the Press
OK, so we're biased when it comes to press freedom, but we'd also point out that even in a country where a former president openly declared war on journalists, it's much easier to do the job here than in countless countries around the world. In an upcoming panel hosted by the Human Rights Foundation, meet activist, blogger, and close friend of slain Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Omar Abdulaziz; documentarian Bryan Fogel; Al Jazeera journalist Ghada Oueiss; and the Committee to Protect Journalists' Senior Africa Researcher Jonathan Rozen. Learn why taking journalism for granted is never the answer, and why you should probably send cookies to the people in your community doing the work. (ADV)
An Invisible Threat: Press Freedom the Dangers of Spyware:
Noon Thursday, March 18. Free.
crowdcast.io/e/an-invisible-threat/register
Hot Stuff
Courtesy santafeschoolofcooking.com
Yeah, yeah, yeah—we've all picked up new skills during the pandemic, because what the hell else were we doing? Still, when it comes to something like cooking up that good New Mexcian food, there's never enough knowledge. Enter the Santa Fe School of Cooking, which continues its slate of online classes in, well, all kinds of things. This week, the goal is traditional New Mexican food, and the class covers flour tortillas, carne adovada chile rellenos, calabacitas refritos and sopaipillas. At $82 a person, it might sound a little steep, but it's a three-hour class. Besides, can you put a price tag on learning how to make the best stuff from the best regional cuisine anyplace? We think you can't. (ADV)
Traditional New Mexican Cooking with Santa Fe School of Cooking:
10 am Saturday, March 20. $82.
Sneak Peek
Courtesy International Folk Art Market
While the Santa Fe summer market season barrels toward what's looking more and more like an in-person series of events, the International Folk Art Market is still keeping its online offerings robust. This weekend, that comes in the form of a bid-free preview of its upcoming Spring Auction. We want to be clear this is a virtual thing and that the actual bidding doesn't open until next week, but for those who'd like to earmark some amazing painting or learn more about the scads of artists scheduled to appear in one form or another this year, it'll work like some kind of visual arts amuse bouche. Remember to be patient and cool and that if you do end up buying something next week, you're directly supporting people who rely on markets just like IFAM. (ADV)
IFAM Spring Auction Preview:
10 am-7 pm Sunday, March 21. Free.
