The Indigenous Arts Coalition (IAC), originally founded in 2008 as a San Francisco Art Institute student group, has grown to support, acknowledge and promote contemporary Bay Area indigenous artists of all disciplines. The IAC artists incorporate a unique and interesting variety of art mediums to be seen in an indigenous-minded fashion. Mediums include painting, installation, sculpture, as well as mixed media and video. Through this presentation the viewer can witness an exhibit where political and social matters are woven amongst ideas of what it is to have indigenous identity in contemporary art. IAC artist Geri Montano speaks of the coalition saying, “I think so many people still have this idea of Native American art in the traditional forms. The Indigenous Arts Coalition aims to show art that is open to new concepts and genres. We self-identifying indigenous artists of the IAC are open to experimenting and expanding as artists, as well as still having a respect for traditions.”
Featured artists include Pima Native, Richard Bluecloud Castaneda, who focuses on photography, alternative processes, and mixed media arts. About his art, Castaneda states, “I pair together multi-spirited cultural references and incorporate cynical, humorous, and political subtexts to address uncomfortable conflicts in the perception and formation of cultural identity. I aim to dispel the sensationalism of the romanticized ‘noble savage’, offering instead a multilayered perspective and candid investigation into contemporary Native life.” Artist Gonzalo De Sepulveda (Aconcagua/Dieguita/Inca) questions the impact of our society as a whole by exploring how our systems, structures and institutions are supposedly making our lives easier. A statement by the artist expands on the idea of how a painting is visible not explainable. He uses pattern to express the complex and fragile nets of connection that tie together our society. Artist Geri Montano, a Navajo Native and San Francisco Art Institute graduate, creates large wall installations of mixed media drawings and collage work. Montano’s work is inspired by socio-political feminist themes and is more specifically concerned with global sex trafficking, in particular sex trafficking in the matter of Native American women. Montano states, “My work represents post contemporary art by dealing with concepts relevant to my experience as an indigenous woman artist living in a complicated 21st century world. I identify as indigenous, my father being Native American, Navajo (Dine). My art respects and includes the use of some traditional Native imagery while I retain my right as an artist to deconstruct traditional forms in order to expand as an artist and comment on my multicultural experience of living in today’s diverse global society.”
Other featured artists include; Colville artist Spencer Keeton Cunningham, whose illustration and street art are said to “re-contextualize Rez life”, Honduran artist Erick Andino, Erlin Geffrard- AKA- Kool Kid Kreyola, whose art explores identity, race and social constructs with the use of satire, Nizhoni Ellenwood who currently works in the medium she feels appropriate for the piece at the time- be it traditional materials or new technology, Opesanwo Ifakorede presently in the M.F.A. program at the California College of the Arts, Walker River Paiute/Tlingit artist Avanna Lawson who abstractions reflect the relationship of spirituality and emotion to movement, Huichol artist Daisy Ortiz, and Navajo artists Cy Wagoner and Rye Purvis.
The Goudi’ni Gallery is located on the ground floor of the Behavioral and Social Sciences (BSS) building at Humboldt State University, near 17th Street and Union Street in Arcata. The gallery is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 12-5 p.m., Thursday 12-7 p.m., Friday 12-5 p.m. and Saturday 10-2 p.m. Admission is free. Additional information is available by calling 707-826-5814 or visiting the Goudi’ni Gallery Facebook page. For parking information please visit humboldt.edu/parking