Past Exhibits

Dan Namingha, Walpi Night Dance, 1977, acrylic on canvas. MNA Fine Art Collection, C1729.

In conjunction with the announcement of a generous gift of artwork by members of the Namingha family to the Museum of Northern Arizona, MNA presented this exhibition of works drawn from the gifted collection and the Museum’s collection. Santa Fe collector Phillip Smith has been collecting works of painting, sculpture and photography by Dan Namingha for thirty years. Smith’s collection is diverse with respect to materials and themes and focuses on works that may be seen as pivotal in Dan Namingha’s ongoing creative exploration. As Namingha’s sons, Arlo and Michael began establishing reputations for their sculpture and conceptual works, respectively, Smith began adding works by the younger Naminghas to his collection as well. In June 2013 Smith announced that he would bequeath his collection of sixty-eight works to the Museum of Northern Arizona. Smith’s gift was given based on the importance of the institution in the development of Dan Namingha’s career and Smith’s high regard for the institution.

Emerging from the small Tewa village of Hano on the Hopi First Mesa is a multi-generational tradition of creating highly acclaimed art that celebrates hundreds of years of cultural history. With roots in the ancient pottery tradition of the abandoned village of Sikyatki, the potter Nampeyo and her descendants have created art that celebrates the sacred nature of the four corners region and the people who have lived there for more than a thousand years. Nampeyo::Namingha — Tradition & Transition brings together works of art created by many of the members of Nampeyo’s family with the emphasis on contemporary work by Dan Namingha and his son Arlo and Michael.