Poeh Cultural Center Presents a New Exhibit: Inspired Creations, Art We Enjoy
October 14, 2022 – January 6, 2023. Opening Reception October 14, 2022, from 4 pm -5 pm
PUEBLO OF POJOAQUE, NM — The Poeh Cultural Center is jumping into autumn with Inspired Creations, Art We Enjoy, which will run from October 14, 2022, through January 6, 2023. This exhibition features works from Poeh’s permanent collection and were selected by the Poeh Cultural Center staff.
The staff chose Items for the show for various reasons, but for some, it was personal. “I chose a traditional seed pot created by my Mother Virginia Gutierrez of Nambe Pueblo,” said Macario Guiterrez, a Pojoaque Tribal Member and Poeh’s Archive Manager. “Some of my fondest memories as a young child was my mother working with her clay and planting the family garden. The comforting sounds of my mom whispering to her clay creation and humming and singing traditional Tewa songs as I tried to mimic her. I think that is why she was partial to making seed pots. She knew the importance of what this vessel represented. This seed jar would have been used to store harvested seeds for the next planting season.”
Inspired Creations, Art We Enjoy is an opportunity to view art through an Indigenous interpretation and analysis. Of the 19 staff members, some have been employees with the Poeh since the construction of the facilities in the 2000s. The staff represent diverse backgrounds, interests, and cultures and are also artists, musicians, and tribal officials. Essentially, this exhibit hopes to answer the question, “Who gets to talk about art?”
“It reminded me of a family affair as we made our choices, picked the works, and described how they resonated with us,” said Stephen Fadden, Poeh’s Programming Director. “We’re from so many different backgrounds, but it still felt like we’re all related.”
This collaboration of the Poeh staff provides an opportunity to breathe new life into the collection, idea-sharing, learning, and installation design and show pride in Poeh’s multi-decade efforts in the preservation and celebration of Tewa culture.
An opening reception will be held on Friday, October 14, 2022, with refreshments served from 4 pm to 5 pm. Face masks are optional but are encouraged for guests.
For more information, contact the Poeh Cultural Center at 505-455-5041
ABOUT THE POEH
Founded in 1988, the Pueblo of Pojoaque established the Poeh Cultural Center as the first permanent tribally owned and operated mechanism for cultural preservation and revitalization within the Pueblo communities of the northern Rio Grande Valley. The Poeh has since become a resource for Pueblo people to learn the arts and culture of their ancestors. The facility resembles a traditional Pueblo village with its adjacent art studio buildings and outdoor gathering areas. The Center emphasizes the arts and cultures of all Pueblo People, focusing on the Tewa-speaking Pueblos of Pojoaque, San Ildefonso, Ohkay Owingeh, Santa Clara, Tesuque, and Nambé.
Media Contact:
Cougar Vigil
505.455.5061
SOURCE The Poeh Cultural Center
