MoCNA 2023–2024 IAIA BFA Exhibition: Indigenous Presence, Indigenous Futures
Still from BIG, SMALL, SCARED, AT EASE, by Ethan Nopah (Navajo Nation)
2023–2024 IAIA BFA Exhibition: Indigenous Presence, Indigenous Futures will be on view from March 1 through June 9, 2024, in the North Gallery at the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) at 108 Cathedral Place, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501. The closing reception will take place on May 10 from 5–7 pm.
The 2023–2024 IAIA BFA Exhibition: Indigenous Presence, Indigenous Futures, highlights the remarkable creativity of IAIA’s BFA seniors in Studio Arts, Cinematic Arts, and Creative Writing. Indigenous Presence, Indigenous Futures aims to show how these graduating students honor the future as much as the past. As ambassadors, these up-and-coming graduating students carry the legacies of their cultures; as individuals, they offer unique insights; and as teammates, they reflect a collective dream for a brighter tomorrow. Although the community at IAIA is comprised of students from diverse backgrounds, the students’ voices culminate in a compelling message: “The world needs more of what we got to offer.”
Each student at IAIA has a unique vision, based on their personal history, cultural background, and worldview. However, despite these differences among individuals, there exist values that unite IAIA students as a community: embracing Indigenous self-representation, combating settler mentality, and making a difference in the world through sharing Indigenous perspectives by means of a contemporary visual language. By acknowledging their pasts, the featured artists in Indigenous Presence, Indigenous Futures extend their cultural backgrounds to their conceptions of the future. This exhibition invites visitors to contemplate to what shapes them, and question how their values shape their worldview.
This exhibition is curated by Museum Studies student Zoe Childs and installed with the help of student preparators Sally Mittler and Charlize Pourier (Oglala Lakota), who worked closely together with MoCNA Curatorial Assistant Erika Knecht to gain practical experience in the field.
Participating Artists
- Jesus Miguel Avena (Mexican-American, Mexica, Mestizo, Chicano)
- Sara Chama (Pueblo of Laguna)
- Brandon Martinez (Jicarilla Apache)
- Ethan Nopah (Navajo Nation)
- Simona Rael (Latina, Mexican-American)
- Brian Taaffe (Taos Pueblo)
- Carl H. Tuzroyluke (Tlingit, Nisga’a, and Inupiat)
For more information, contact Erika Knecht at eknecht@iaia.edu and (505) 428-5927.
Current and Upcoming MoCNA Exhibitions
A listing of current and upcoming exhibitions at the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA).
List of Events
Arctic Highways: Unbounded Indigenous People
The traveling exhibition Arctic Highways features 12 Indigenous artists from Sápmi (cultural region traditionally inhabited by the Sámi people) and North America, sharing stories of Indigenous people who live on different continents yet regard themselves as kindred spirits.
Common Thread: Indigenous Perspectives from the Arctic
For millennia Indigenous peoples of the North have lived in harmony with the land and sea. The twelve artists and activists in the exhibition Common Thread: Indigenous Perspectives from the Arctic continue this relationship.
The Stories We Carry
The Stories We Carry features contemporary jewelry created by more than 100 Indigenous artists across decades stewarded by the MoCNA permanent collection.
Our Stories
Our Stories is a companion to The Stories We Carry exhibition, located adjacent to the Kieve Family Gallery.