American Indian culture abounds this week.
In timing with the Gathering of Nations Native American Powwow and UNM's KIVA Club Nizhoni Days celebration, Black Market Goods' exhibit, "Injunuity," opens today at 112 Morningside Drive N.E., showcasing contemporary paintings, photography and sculptures from American Indians. There will also be live music each day and a fashion show on Friday night.
Josh Jones, event organizer and manager of Black Market Goods, said the show's title is a play on words involving American Indians and ingenuity.
"The term 'ingenuity' is basically making do with what you've got, almost MacGyvering everything," Jones said. "That's basically reservation living right there."
For Jones, the exhibit has been a long-time goal.
"This is one of the first times I've started featuring my Native American art or themed art," Jones said. "Normally, I do contemporary, you know, low-brow stuff, so I just figured I would just add a little bit more of my Native stuff in there."
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The show's main goal is to allow contemporary artists the chance to escape the pigeonhole of what constitutes American Indian art, Jones said.
"Right now, Albuquerque is filled with art, but a lot of it is Southwestern-style art," Jones said. "Really, if there's no market for your art, you have to create your own, and that's basically what we're doing now."
Jones will also feature the N.A.S.A. (Native American Space Association) series, which takes a look at an alternative reality with an American Indian focus.
"It's kind of like history re-imagined," he said. "It just has a bunch of sci-fi themes with native perspectives."
The show will also feature art from local graffiti artists Hok and Unek. Also, Darren Oliver, an artist out of Flagstaff, Ariz., will be present.
"He has the most amazing pastel works you'll ever see," Jones said.
All the artists are from the Southwest area, and most are American Indians.
"I'm taking local and Native American-Southwestern artists who are not exactly in the Southwestern theme of things," Jones said. "They are more contemporary. They do their own thing. They just happen to be Native American. They also still add their own touches and things from their home and heritage."
All of the exhibitions are original creations, Jones said.
"Unek is into body art and graffiti on canvas, but this time around, he's showcasing his photography," Jones said. "Everybody is bringing something new that they haven't done before, either in theme or medium."
In addition to the art, Friday night will host a live fashion show organized by Mia Jumbo and featuring designers Lauren Falon and Lauren Fisher. The show will have a mermaid-on-land theme. Jumbo said the show will feature hand-woven fishnet clothing, big and wild hair, and nautical colors.
"It shows the direction that people are heading," Jumbo said. "It's basically more of a in-your-face thing. I think it kind of fits in more with everybody else's stuff, too. "
Jumbo will also exhibit her work at Injunuity.
"It kind of complements the whole mermaid-on-land thing because it's very watery kind of scenes with lots of drippy paints and cool colors," she said.
Jumbo said the exhibit purposely coincides with the Gathering of Nations to attract some of the already present tourists.
"We just wanted to get more buyers in," Jones said. "You know a lot of people who come for new Native artists. I think it would be a great opportunity for people to come find us. Come see new people and artists breaking boundaries in their art. You know, it's completely new for the genre."
Injunuity
Thursday-Saturday, 7 p.m.
Black Market Goods
112 Morningside Drive N.E.
