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Hopi (Hopitu Shinumu) girl, 1922, Hualpi Village, First Mesa, Arizona. Dye sublimation print on Alu-DiBond, 2024
08/21/2024

Hopi (Hopitu Shinumu) girl, 1922, Hualpi Village, First Mesa, Arizona. Dye sublimation print on Alu-DiBond, 2024

Nafiat (Place Where The Wind Blows Dust), Sandia Pueblo, New Mexico, 72” x 36”
08/21/2024

Nafiat (Place Where The Wind Blows Dust), Sandia Pueblo, New Mexico, 72” x 36”

Hopi Soyalangwul (Soyal) Katsina. First Mesa, Arizona, 180x150x5 cm (71x60x2 in), micaceous clay, silver powder, acrylic...
08/20/2024

Hopi Soyalangwul (Soyal) Katsina. First Mesa, Arizona, 180x150x5 cm (71x60x2 in), micaceous clay, silver powder, acrylic on linen canvas, 2023

Hopi girls, late 1800s, Shungopovi Village, Second Mesa, Arizona, Library of Congress. Dye sublimation print on Alu-DiBond, 2024

The Hopi Katsina Soyal, also known as Soyalangwul, is one of the most important ceremonies in Hopi tradition. It marks the winter solstice, usually around December 21st, and symbolises the world’s renewal for the coming year. The Soyal ceremony is deeply connected to the Hopi belief system, which revolves around the cycles of the natural world and the Katsinam (plural for Katsina), who are spiritual beings or messengers between the gods and the Hopi people. The ceremony is meant to bring the sun back from its long journey, ensure the days begin to lengthen and restore the universe’s balance and harmony.

P’æwi k’ú’u tuuwisi (Lightning Field). La Cieneguilla Petroglyphs, New Mexico, 59x59x2 in (150x150x5 cm) micaceous clay...
08/20/2024

P’æwi k’ú’u tuuwisi (Lightning Field). La Cieneguilla Petroglyphs, New Mexico, 59x59x2 in (150x150x5 cm) micaceous clay, Flashe, carborundum, acrylic on hand-gessoed linen canvas, 2024

Diné (Navajo) girls, c1866, Notrossia and Pattis, Library of Congress. Dye sublimation print on Alu-DiBond, 2024

In Diné (Navajo) culture, lightning is a sacred and powerful force, symbolising protection and destruction. It is viewed as a manifestation of the Holy People (Diyin Diné’é) and is closely linked to rain, which is essential for survival in the arid Southwest. Lightning represents divine power, often invoked in ceremonies for healing and protection, and its zigzag pattern is used in art as a protective symbol. Despite its potential for destruction, lightning embodies the balance and harmony (hózhó) central to Diné cosmology, reminding the people of their need to maintain respect and harmony with the natural world.

Seminole (Shoshoni, Snake People), c1884, Mary Enos and infant in cradleboard, Library of Congress. Sublimation dye prin...
08/19/2024

Seminole (Shoshoni, Snake People), c1884, Mary Enos and infant in cradleboard, Library of Congress. Sublimation dye print on Alu-Dibond, 2024.

Tsé Íí’áhí (Church Rock) uranium mill spill. Diné (Navajo) Reservation, New Mexico,1979. 153x153x5 cm (60x60x2 in), eart...
08/19/2024

Tsé Íí’áhí (Church Rock) uranium mill spill. Diné (Navajo) Reservation, New Mexico,1979. 153x153x5 cm (60x60x2 in), earth pigments, powdered Church Rock uranium ore, acrylic on linen, 2020.

In July 1979, the Church Rock uranium spill in Tsé Íí’áhí (Navajo Nation) released over 1,100 tons of radioactive waste, devastating Diné communities. The federal response was minimal, especially compared to the swift action at Three Mile Island months earlier. Decades later, the effects linger, with high rates of cancer and environmental injustices still impacting the Navajo people. As we reflect on the 45th anniversary, it’s crucial to recognize and address these ongoing injustices, underscoring the need for justice and comprehensive remediation.

Hopi Kokyangwuti (Spider Grandmother) Katsina. Walpi Village, First Mesa, Arizona. 183x123x5 cm (72x48x2 in) pottery cla...
08/18/2024

Hopi Kokyangwuti (Spider Grandmother) Katsina. Walpi Village, First Mesa, Arizona. 183x123x5 cm (72x48x2 in) pottery clay, tumbleweed charcoal, gold and copper powder, acrylic on h**p canvas, 2024

Kokyangwuti, known as “Spider Woman” or “Spider Grandmother,” is a central figure in Hopi culture, associated with fertility, creation, dawn, and the morning sun. Revered as a nurturing and protective deity, she symbolises the renewal of life and the start of a new day. Kokyangwuti plays a significant role in Hopi ceremonies focused on life renewal, including rituals for a successful growing season. Her symbolism extends to themes of weaving and creation, embodying rebirth, new beginnings, and the natural cycles of life. Kokyangwuti’s presence in Hopi rituals and stories underscores her importance in the Hopi and our understanding of time, growth, and the interconnectedness of all living things.

Esselen, Big Sur, California, 153x122x5 cm (60x48x2 in), 2019
08/17/2024

Esselen, Big Sur, California, 153x122x5 cm (60x48x2 in), 2019

Los Alamos, New Mexico, 153x122x5 cm (60x48x2 in), 2018
08/17/2024

Los Alamos, New Mexico, 153x122x5 cm (60x48x2 in), 2018

Tsalagi (Cherokee) Trail of Tears (1830-1850), Fort Smith, Arkansas. 153x153x5 cm (60x60x2 in), micaceous clay, sweetgra...
08/16/2024

Tsalagi (Cherokee) Trail of Tears (1830-1850), Fort Smith, Arkansas. 153x153x5 cm (60x60x2 in), micaceous clay, sweetgrass ash, acrylic on linen, 2019

Nu’a Bon’s journey from his birthplace in Hawaiʻi, through the experiences of being part of an immigrant family from Asia and Pasifika, to his roles as an artist, art professor, and photojournalist, has cultivated a unique perspective shaped by continual displacement. His work reflects the contemporary art movement’s engagement with the universal quest for connection and meaning. While his art may not be rooted in any single cultural heritage, it powerfully grapples with the broader struggle to find one’s place in a globalised world and the search for something transcendent.

After weeks of physically tracing a key land route used during the forced removal of Indigenous peoples from Georgia to Indian Territory (now Oklahoma), Bon deepens the dialogue between past and present by integrating local materials—such as clay and sweetgrass ash—into his abstract visual language. This materiality emphasises a growing trend in contemporary art to anchor abstract concepts in tangible experiences and histories. Bon’s approach exemplifies a broader artistic shift towards merging historical resonance with site-specific elements, making his work a poignant exploration of how we connect with our personal and collective histories in an ever-changing world.

Yebichai. 165x109x5 cm (65x43x2 in), micaceous clay, gold powder, acrylic on linen, 2024Diné (Navajo), c1905, Tonenili d...
08/16/2024

Yebichai. 165x109x5 cm (65x43x2 in), micaceous clay, gold powder, acrylic on linen, 2024

Diné (Navajo), c1905, Tonenili dressed as Yebichai in spruce branches, Library of Congress. Pigment print on Alu-Dibond, 2024

Nu’a Bon’s journey from his birthplace in Hawaiʻi, through the experiences of being part of an immigrant family from Asia and Pasifika, to his roles as an artist, art professor, and photojournalist, has cultivated a unique perspective shaped by perpetual displacement. His work encapsulates the contemporary art movement’s preoccupation with the universal quest for connection and meaning. While his art may not be anchored in any singular cultural heritage, it powerfully engages with the broader struggle to find one’s place in a globalised world and the desire for something transcendent.

In “Southwest”, his latest body of work, Bon delves into the dialogue between past and present by incorporating local materials—clay and tumbleweed charcoal—sourced from native villages and ancient ruins in the Southwest. This materiality underscores a growing trend in contemporary art that seeks to ground abstract concepts in tangible experiences and histories. Bon’s approach reflects a broader artistic shift towards blending historical resonance with immediate, site-specific elements, making his art a poignant exploration of how we connect with our personal and collective histories in a rapidly evolving world.

Yebichai is a deity in Diné (Navajo) tradition, often considered a central figure in traditional ceremonies. He is associated with healing and is a crucial figure in the Blessingway ceremony, which is performed to restore balance and harmony. Yebichai is often depicted in ceremonial dance and art, symbolising the natural world’s divine aspects and the community’s spiritual well-being. His presence in Diné culture represents a deep connection to the land, ancestral heritage, and the practice of maintaining harmony within the universe.

Diné (Navajo) girls, c1866, Notrossia and Pattis, Library of Congress. Pigment print on AluDiBond, 2024
08/15/2024

Diné (Navajo) girls, c1866, Notrossia and Pattis, Library of Congress. Pigment print on AluDiBond, 2024

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