Living Treasures: A Celebration of Vision Opens May 5 in Governor’s Gallery

April 21st, 2017

For Immediate Release: April 21, 2017 (Santa Fe, NM) – The Museum of Indian Arts & Culture’s (MIAC) Living Treasures: A Celebration of Vision exhibition opens in the Governor’s Gallery May 5^th. Each year since 2006, MIAC honors an innovative Native American artist for the annual Native Treasures Exhibition. Artists, communities, and museum patrons come together to recognize a living artist who has contributed to their community and shown excellence in their artistic practice.  

MIAC names the Living Treasure each year in advance of The Native Treasures: Indian Arts Festival, Santa Fe’s only museum-quality Indian art show and sale. More than 200 Native American artists participate at the invitation of MIAC, to represent the best of the Native American art world. Many exhibiting Native Treasures artists have pieces in the Museum’s permanent collection. Participating artists represent a wide range of pueblos and tribe; the art forms exhibited range from traditional to contemporary and from emerging artists to masters in their creative field.

Living Treasures: A Celebration of Vision exhibition is on display in the Governor’s Gallery on the fourth floor of the New Mexico State Capitol. The exhibition features MIAC’s fourteen Living Treasures: Robert Tenorio (2006), Mike Bird-Romero (2007), Connie Tsosie Gaussoin (2008), Upton Ethelbah, Jr. (2009), Lonnie Vigil (2010), Roxanne Swentzell (2011), Tony Abeyta (2012), Tammy Garcia (2013), Joe & Althea Cajero (2014) Keri Atuambi & Teri Greeves (2015), and Dan Namingha (2016), and Jody Naranjo (2017).

The exhibition Living Treasures: A Celebration of Vision honors remarkable individuals who have achieved artistic excellence in their works of painting, sculpture, beadwork, pottery and jewelry.