American Indians represented on global stage
By Staff reports
Story Published: Mar 27, 2009
Master artist Dan Namingha, of the Hopi-Tewa Tribe, was among five American
Indian artists nominated by W. Richard West, founding director of the
Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian, to
represent Indians in an unprecedented global cultural event – the TIMOTCA
project. Namingha will join some 45 artists representing 45 nations to date.
TIMOTCA, The International Museum of 21st Century Arts, is an international
nonprofit corporation founded in 1980 to foster peace and cultural
understanding through the universal language of art. TIMOTCA is premised on
the belief that art transcends national borders, inter-cultural differences
and racial distinctions, uniquely touching a peaceful and humanistic quality
in all of us, expanding our potential to move beyond historic fears toward
higher spiritual and evolutionary challenge.
In every country art has been used to communicate feelings, manifest dreams
and mark humanity’s progression through history. Believing the universal
language of art speaks to us across cultures and across centuries, TIMOTCA
will demonstrate that by experiencing art everyone will appreciate the bond
that makes the people of the earth more alike than different.
Celebrating the world’s rich and extraordinarily diverse cultures, TIMOTCA
will provide an unprecedented forum for painters, sculptors, writers,
photographers, poets, musicians, filmmakers and artisans, offering a unique
opportunity for the exploration, development and distribution of
international cultural programs promoting understanding and peaceful
coexistence.
TIMOTCA’s mission is to present the visual and performing arts of all
nations and cultures of the world. To date 65 nations, now including the
American Indian nation, representing a broad spectrum of cultural, political
and philosophical diversity have been visited and officially invited to
participate – all have accepted.
One artist is selected to represent each country, contributing an original
painting for the TIMOTCA permanent collection and international touring
exhibition, “Art Beyond Borders.”
The exhibition premiered at United Nations Headquarters, New York under the
sponsorship of UNESCO and has been exhibited at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris,
World Expo, Lisbon and the Las Vegas Art Museum. Namingha contributed a
painting titled “Passage & Symbolism XI.”
Photo courtesy TIMOTCA
Master Artist Dan Namingha, of the Hopi-Tewa Tribe, was among five
celebrated American Indian artists nominated to represent American Indians
in the TIMOTCA project.
He carries a strong family tradition of artistic expression into its 15th
generation. His great-great-grandmother, Nampayco, is credited with
rekindling the art of Hopi pottery, which his mother and sister continue. He
was born in Keams Canyon, Ariz. in 1950 and studied at the University of
Kansas, Institute of American Indian Arts, Santa Fe, N.M. and the American
Academy of Art in Chicago, Ill.
“Dan Namingha’s paintings and sculptures are among the most powerful
abstract artwork being created in the Southwest today,” said Museum of
Northern Arizona Director Dr. Robert Breunig. “His abstract figures allude
to the timeless nature of life on the Colorado Plateau and the unity of the
spiritual and physical worlds.”
“Through a process of fragmentation and assembly I visually condense my
subject matter to convey the greatest artistry with minimal elements,”
Namingha said of his work. Landscapes and ancient Hopi symbols, ancestors
from his homeland, spirit messengers, kachinas carrying blessings, cloud
people, and other abstracted spiritual imagery take form among his signature
surface textures. “I see myself as a kind of bridge between worlds, trying
to find that center line of balance. It’s not always easy, but I don’t think
it’s easy for any human being.”
He is fascinated with dualities and where they meet – physical and
metaphysical, night and day, dark and light, life and death, human and
divine – and with recurring themes of kachinas, First Mesa, and the Hopi
migration story. Namingha’s works are in private collections around the
world and he has had numerous one-person exhibitions in the United States
and Europe, receiving many awards and honors.
In support of TIMOTCA’s capital campaign, each painting contributed will be
published as limited editions of 300 hand-signed and numbered museum quality
fine art prints for the world market and offered as a special benefit of
charter membership in TIMOTCA’s “Founding Circle of Angels.” Namingha’s work
is among the first group of five artists being published, the other artists
represent Iran, Israel, Japan and Russia.
The first 150 prints of “Passage & Symbolism XI” will be hand embellished by
the artist, and charter members receiving them will get an invitation for
two to meet Namingha at a gala concert and dinner in his honor.
“Passage & Symbolism XI” is destined to be one of Namingha’s most important
works, as it is the image representing American Indians in a global cultural
event. TIMOTCA will officially present an artist proof of the painting to
NMAI for its permanent collection.
To become a charter member or make a donation visit www.timotca.org. Of the
proceeds from the 300 memberships, $50,000 will be donated to the American
Indian Education Foundation.
Never before has there been so great an opportunity for Native Americans to
share their cultural achievements and heritage with the world, while
revealing American Indians as independent, sovereign nations.
For more information e-mail
timotca@timotca.org.
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