Sedona, AZ: Navajo legend tells the story of humankind’s progression through successive worlds. Each world previous to the current one was associated with a particular color. The current world, on the other hand, which is variously known as the "glittering," "sparkling," or "many-colored world," is associated with a multitude of hues. The Navajo weaver’s art reflects the multi-colored aspect of this environment.
> This 65.16 inch long by 40.55 inch wide Wide Ruins Style Navajo rug by Janine Thomas is dated c. 1984 and is made of vegetal-dyed wool. It won a first prize ribbon at the Museum of Northern Arizona's 1986 Navajo Show.
Flagstaff Cultural Partners (FCP) and the Museum of Northern Arizona (MNA) have joined forces to present a new exhibition at the Coconino Center for the Arts this summer.
Many Colored Weaves, which features selections from MNA’s collection of Navajo textiles, will be open to the public from June 14 through August 9, 2008. There will be a Preview Reception for FCP and MNA members on Friday, June 13, at 6 p.m.
Navajo weaving is a holistic practice that brings together the many-colored strands of life to create beauty.
The individual weaving stands as a concrete expression of the interconnectedness—the interwoven nature and harmonious relationship—of the diverse elements of the world. In this exhibition, Navajo weavers share their reflections on the processes and practices of weaving and how they are meaningful to them.
Many Colored Weaves will feature 36 textiles from both the early and late twentieth century. The textiles are representative of various regions producing quality works during that period. The exhibition’s curator is Jennifer McLerran, director of the Northern Arizona University Art Museum and Assistant Professor of Art History at NAU.
“This exhibition represents some of the finest work in the exquisite collection of weavings at the Museum of Northern Arizona,” says John Tannous, executive director of Flagstaff Cultural Partners. “This partnership between the Museum of Northern Arizona and Flagstaff Cultural Partners provides the community its first opportunity to view this culturally significant artwork in the spacious setting of the Coconino Center for the Arts gallery.”
The Navajo weaver brings beauty into the world, providing a model of right behavior and right relationship to the environment. Like the culture heroes of Navajo legend, whose tales are told in healing ceremonies and traditional chants, the weaver’s artistic practice constitutes a journey of discovery through which the harmony-generating potential and the healing capacity of the plants and animals that populate this world are explored and demonstrated. The knowledge that sustains this practice requires a nuanced understanding of the physical world that allows weavers to produce objects of beauty and affords them the opportunity to serve as models of the individual’s proper place in the world.
