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December 15, 2008
Mementos and Milestones:
New Work by Kelly Church, Tammy Rahr and America Meredith
Contact:
Maggie Ohnesorgen, 505.983.1666 (ph)
mohnesorgen@iaia.edu
Staci Golar, 505.424.2351 (ph)
sgolar@iaia.edu
Three talented IAIA alumnae come together for Mementos and Milestones opening with a reception January 10, 2009 from 2 pm. – 4 p.m. at the IAIA Museum Store. Kelly Church (Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians), America Meredith (Cherokee Nation) and Tammy Rahr (Cayuga) explore how their work is influenced by seasons, constellations, phases of the moon, life cycles—all movement through space and time—and how this inspires them to create. They contemplate how art encapsulates day to day experiences, whether it be a word stitched on a beaded whimsy, the function of a black ash basket, or the symbolism in a painting. Mementos and Milestones continues until February 8, 2009, and all work will be available for purchase. The IAIA Museum Store is located at 108 Cathedral Place in downtown Santa Fe.
America Meredith explains that the show was born from thinking about art as a part of life in the form of one’s keepsakes, memorials and souvenirs. “Perhaps overlooked by the mainstream art world, we maintain that these are the art forms that mean the most to us on a personal level.” Meredith will be showing two painting series: one of Mississippian designs that represent moon cycles, and one based on her personal tattoos. She will also display a painting that incorporates a Cherokee incantation for finding a sweetheart, inspired by the first American Indian same-sex wedding she ever attended.
Tammy Rahr will exhibit small beaded whimsies that integrate classic Iroquois designs with surprising subject matter like UFOs or VW bugs. Her intricately beaded bracelets of mountains and constellations will be included, as well as an installation to evoke the by-gone trend of the Victorian sitting room.
Kelly Church’s work will travel to Santa Fe from Michigan, including her Woodland paintings (rendered in a visionary style inspired by artist Norval Morrisseau), birch bark bitings (a largely unknown art form where one makes bite marks on folded pieces of bark to create images) and woven black ash baskets. The exhibit will explain her basketry, noting why each was made and for what occasion, whether it be a wedding, birth of a new child or other important life events.
For more information about this exhibit, please call the IAIA Museum Store at 505.983.1666. To request photos of artwork, please email sgolar@iaia.edu or call 505.424.2351. For more information about the Institute of American Indian Arts Museum, please visit www.iaiamuseum.org.
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Located in downtown Santa Fe, the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) Museum is dedicated solely to advancing the discourse, knowledge and understanding of contemporary Native arts. Founded in 1971, the Museum's exhibitions, publications and educational programs challenge pre-conceived notions of contemporary art. The IAIA Museum is home to the largest collection of contemporary Native art in the world and the IAIA Museum Store is a premiere shopping destination offering the finest selection of contemporary Native arts and gifts. Regular Museum hours are Monday – Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday: noon to 5 p.m (closed on Tuesdays November through May).
IAIA’s Mission:
To empower creativity and leadership in Native arts and cultures through higher education, lifelong learning and outreach.
Click here to download full press release in PDF format.
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