Santa Fe’s Native artists push back against expectations of “Native art”
Artist Cannupahanska and others challenge what SAIA’s outgoing director calls the “Native box,” arguing heritage alone shouldn’t dictate materials, methods or narratives
Santa Fe's Native artists are breaking from tradition, but is their work truly contemporary' Among other young and innovative Native artists in Santa Fe, the 33-year-old is one of the more outspoken about the limitations of what Southwestern Association for Indian Arts' outgoing executive director Bruce Bernstein refers to as the 'Native box,' or the tendency to group all Native artists together under a set of formal and cultural obligations'from the materials and methods used to make art to the corresponding themes and narratives.
Though Cannupahanska strongly identifies with his Native heritage, he also believes it doesn't tell the whole story. And, as he describes the limitations set for Native art, it becomes apparent he's also talking about the space Natives themselves hold.
'The whole notion of Native art was not developed to create a dialogue of existence within this world, but to talk about existence that was before,' Cannupahanska says.
Jodi Rave Spotted Bear
(Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation)Founder & Editor in Chief
Spoken Languages: English
Topic Expertise: Federal trust relationship with American Indians; Indigenous issues ranging from spirituality and environment to education and land rights
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