NATIVE PEOPLE HAVE OFTEN BEEN incorrectly portrayed or misrepresented entirely throughout the ages. In The Sovereign Image, a new exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Native Arts' Lloyd Kiva New Gallery and Museum Store, contemporary Native photographers will push the Native likeness forward, articulating the future of Native people using the power of their own image. The exhibit opened February 27 and will remain on display until April 11.

Participating artists include a mix of Institute of American Indian Arts students and alumni and both emerging and well-established artists: Rory Erler Wakemup (Anishinaabe), Shan Goshorn (Eastern Band Cherokee), Dorothy Grandbois (Chippewa), John Hagen (Aleut), Jean LaRance (Little Shell Tribe of Montana), Jinniibaah Manuelito (Diné/Navajo), H. Clay Napie, Jr. (Diné), Cougar Vigil (Apache), Dina Velarde (Apache), Ben Calabaza (Santo Domingo Pueblo/Kewa), Tom Jones (Ho Chunk) and Will Wilson (Diné/Navajo)

Many of the artists have participated in art exhibits around the world. For instance, Tom Jones was one of two featured artists in Rendezvoused, an exhibit at the La Biennale di Venezia 53rd international arts exhibition in collaboration with the Department of European and Postcolonial Studies, University of Ca' Foscari, Venice. Shan Goshorn, has exhibited in York, England's Impression Gallery, New York City's American Indian Community House Gallery, the Franco-American Institute in Rennes, France, Beijing Jialuan Art Center, China, and the International Arts Alive Festival in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The Museum Store is located at 108 Cathedral Place, in downtown Santa Fe, NM. All work is available for purchase, and sales benefit the artists and the Museum. For more information about this event, call 505.983.1666. For more information about the Museum, visit www.iaiamuseum.org.

SPLASH, THE INSTITUTE OF AMERICAN Indian Arts' 2010 BFA Exhibition opens March 5 at 5:00 p.m. at the Museum of Contemporary Native Arts. The exhibit continues until May 13 and will close with a reception from 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. that same day.
 
Guest curated by Sherry Farrell Racette (Timiskaming First Nation), a 2009-2010 scholar at the School for Advanced Research, this exhibit highlights the work of students receiving their bachelor of fine arts degrees from IAIA, including that of Kit Julianto, Sarah Ferber, Toneh Chuleewah, Amber Johnson, Dwayne Manuel, Elizabeth Smith, Joanne Morales, Megan Begay, Taylor Hurley and Natasha Wagner.

Farrell Racette says that SPLASH announces the arrival of emerging artists from the Institute of American Indian Arts. "Graduation from art school is a critical transition for emerging artists who shift from a supportive environment with access to technology and facilities to a tough, competitive milieu where each must rely on his or her own resources. As I listened to the students discuss their work at the senior painting critiques last December, the words of a Cree elder popped into my head. He used the metaphor of 'throwing the bear cub into the water' to discuss the transitions we are thrown into, the leaps of faith we must make if we are to leave places of comfort to take our place in a larger world." According to Farrell Racette, the show title also refers to the style of work included. "These artists splash paint, use bold color choices and construct imaginary worlds with fastidious detail."

Farrell Racette holds a BFA from the University of Manitoba, a MEd in curriculum and instruction from the University of Regina and an Interdisciplinary PhD in Native studies, anthropology and history from the University of Manitoba. She has worked extensively in museum collections, examining material culture as encoded objects that carry history, story and knowledge. Her particular interest is in revitalizing traditional art forms, and increasing the recognition and appreciation of contemporary traditional artists and their practice.

All are invited to the public opening reception on Friday, March 5, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. As well, a special closing reception will take place on Thursday, May 13, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. All events take place at the Museum of Contemporary Native Arts, 108 Cathedral Place, downtown Santa Fe, NM 87501.

Call 505.983.8900 for more information.

ON MARCH 16 AND 17, IAIA's Center for Lifelong Education (CLE) hosts the

Among the skills developed at the workshop, participants will be able to:

The workshop will take place at the CLE Building on IAIA's campus, 83 Avan Nu Po Road, Santa Fe, NM 87508. The fee for participating is $50.00/person. Click