Sedona, AZ: Sedona’s Turquoise Tortoise Gallery has worked with generations of Native American artists over its thirty-seven year history and will begin the New Year with a unique showcase. For its “1st Friday” reception on January 2, from 5-8 p.m., the gallery will focus on figure carvings linking ancient traditions with contemporary interpretations.
The kachina “doll” is perhaps the best-known Indian figure carving today — especially among collectors — and yet kachinas are not dolls at all but something quite a bit more. To the Hopi Indians, kachinas are a spiritual basis for a complex mixture of belief, ritual and ceremony. These are traditions that have been passed down through the generations and the “dolls” have played an important role in that.
It is believed there are between 300-400 kachinas recognizable to the Hopi people and the “dolls” were, and still are, used to teach the children so they may learn the significance of different figures. Kachinas are also used during spiritual reflection and, more and more, as an art form among the people. The core beliefs tied to these figures, the dances held by them, and the qualities linking them to spirit do not lend themselves to casual description.
The “dolls” themselves are carved from cottonwood root, a light, sturdy wood for carving and hand-painted in the colors identified with the kachina. The gallery features superb work by Hopi artists, Wilfred Kaye, Troy LaPointe and Andy Rickey.
Even as the kachina tradition continues, Native American artists, like artists from any other evolving culture, have made use of its iconography in their own contemporary art. Acclaimed artist Gregory Lomayesva explains: “Just as our modern culture is symbol oriented - the Texaco star for example - the Hopis had symbols for the fundamental elements of their world: corn, warriors, friendship, lightening, rain . . . Everything I do is based on this merging of styles and backgrounds – Pop Art with Spanish Art, Native Art with Surrealism.”
In his paintings and wooden figure carvings, Lomayesva appropriates images of the kachina to make an artistic statement, a statement that allows the artist to add modern thought to rich traditions and uniquely embody the reality of today.
To see these figure carvings and learn more about kachinas visit Turquoise Tortoise Gallery at Sedona’s Hozho Center or call 928-282-2262, email mail@turqtortsedona.com or visit www.turqtortsedona.com.
Article courtesy of Patricia Knight.
Posted December 15, 2008.
