Textiles Transformed: Exhibition Enlivens Diné Weaving Traditions

Textiles both contemporary and historic—some on view for the first time— are the focus of Horizons: Weaving Between the Lines with Diné Textiles, opening to members July 15 at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture. The juxtaposition of past and present, according to the exhibition co-curators, “expresses the cultural legacy and continued vibrancy of weaving traditions in the American Southwest."

“Exhibiting historical and contemporary weaving together shows that it is a living art form and an ongoing cultural practice,” says co-curator Hadley Jensen.

Co-curator Rapheal Begay (Diné) adds, “It brings the past into visual conversation with the present and provides an opportunity for Diné to reconnect with the living legacies of our ancestors.”

Beyond the beauty of Navajo textiles, the exhibition illuminates both their individual and communal significance. “Many weavers feel their textiles are living, breathing, animated beings (rather than inanimate objects),” says Jensen. “I often hear that weavings have a life force of their own, and they are imbued with this through the process of their creation.”

Perhaps more than anything, Begay says, the exhibition explores how the ecological relationship between the land and the Diné people fuels their creativity.

Works by Begay, who is also a photographer, are also included in the exhibition. Like weaving, he says, photography is a way “of engaging with place and providing a connection to Dinétah (the Navajo homeland).” Describing himself as a visual storyteller, Begay says, “With my camera, I move about land and community documenting relationships, visual blessings and political gatherings within the Navajo Nation.”

The exhibition again highlights the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture’s commitment to inclusivity and collaboration, ensuring that Indigenous people are actively involved in determining exhibition content.

In addition to Jensen and Begay, Horizons was shaped by a Diné advisory committee of contemporary weavers, educators, scholars and cultural practitioners. Among other things, they provided new interpretations and label copy for the museum’s historic textile collection. Their collective expertise engages museum visitors with a deeper understanding of Diné textile artistry and ways of knowing past, present and future.

Artist once known (Diné). Chief Blanket, 1875-1880. Handspun wool, indigo dye, vegetal dye. Collection of the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture. Gift of Mrs. Philip B. Stewart. Photo courtesy Museum of Indian Arts and Culture.

An illustrated exhibition catalogue with essays by artists and scholars and edited by Jensen will be published by the Museum of New Mexico Press. It is expected to be released in 2024.

Generous support for Horizons: Weaving Between the Lines with Diné Textiles, was provided by a $75,000 grant from the Terra Foundation for American Art. Additional support from France A. Córdova and Christian J. Foster; Tom and Mary James, founders of the James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art; Shiprock Santa Fe; and the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs.

What's New in the Collection

The Friends of Indian Art is making a significant addition to the museum’s collection of contemporary Diné textiles, contributing the funds to commission a weaving from renowned Diné weaver Lynda Teller Pete. Pete, a fifth-generation weaver, was selected by the group with museum guidance. She is both an artist and educator who has dedicated her life to the preservation of Diné weaving traditions. Her sister Barbara Teller Ornelas is also an acclaimed Diné weaver. Both were recently awarded the 2023 MIAC Legacy Award at the museum’s annual Native Treasures Art Market.

The entire process of Pete’s weaving the new textile will be videotaped for educational purposes. When complete, both the weaving and video will be displayed in the museum’s acquisitions gallery.

Images: (Top) Artist once known (Diné). Chief Blanket, 1875-1880. Handspun wool, indigo dye, vegetal dye. Collection of the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture. Gift of Mrs. Philip B. Stewart. Photo courtesy Museum of Indian Arts and Culture. (Bottom) Lynda Teller Pete (Diné). Photo courtesy Museum of Indian Arts and Culture.

This article and image are from the Museum of New Mexico Foundation’s Member News Summer 2022.