Artists Brighten a Boarded up Albuquerque
Artists descended on downtown Albuquerque, a “ghost town” after the pandemic, for two weeks to paint the boarded-up windows...
Aug 27
News
Aug 24
Music Venues and Festivals Reinvent Themselves to Stay Afloat During the Pandemic
Music venues and festivals are embracing creativity and resourcefulness to stave off financial ruin and bring live music to audiences at a time when they desperately need it.
Aug 24
12 New Mexico Artists to Know Now Update: Joe Ramiro Garcia
New Mexico Artists to Know NowNews
New Mexico Artist to Know Now Joe Ramiro Garcia updates us on his current work and studio practice.
Aug 23
Complete Your 2020 Census to Support the Arts in New Mexico
Currently, New Mexico ranks 50th in the US for self-response to the 2020 census. Each individual who is counted in the census brings in $37,500 for the state over the course of 10 years.
Aug 21
12 New Mexico Artists to Know Now Update: c marquez
New Mexico Artists to Know NowNews
Taos-based artist c marquez, one of SWC's 12 NM Artists to Know Now, updates us on their practice, new pieces, and wishes for the arts community.
Aug 18
12 New Mexico Artists to Know Now Update: Rapheal Begay
New Mexico Artists to Know NowNews
Rapheal Begay, one of SWC's 12 NM Artists to Know Now, updates us on his work and relationship to art since the COVID-19 pandemic, which he has spent at home in Navajo Nation. He continues to advocate for Indigenous aesthetics and visual sovereignty.
Aug 10
Movement for Mercy: A Total Body Walk in Somebody Else’s Shoes
The Keshet M3 Movement for Mercy and Arts and Justice Network advocate for juvenile justice reform through arts education and youth empowerment.
Aug 09
Art News Briefs: July 2020
Catch up on local arts headlines from July! People are on the move at local institutions, grants and scholarships have been awarded.
Aug 07
Making the Most of a Virtual Indian Market
Reimagined for the COVID-19 era, this year’s entirely virtual monthlong Indian Market is ushering in a new era for SWAIA and many Native artists.
Aug 05
Uncharted: Owl Peak Farm
While the Owl Peak Farm has adjusted to the pandemic with relatively little upheaval, staying nimble in the face of unexpected and uncontrollable situations is nothing new when working with nature. We spoke with them about their dinner program, the farm, and rolling with the punches.
Jul 24
A Storefront Art Exhibition Must Balance Creative Expression With Private Interest
Windows On the Future, which spans Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Taos, aims to re-energize commercial districts that have slowed down due to COVID-19.
Jul 21
Announcing the Field Guide 2020
The inaugural Field Guide—a guidebook to arts and culture across northern New Mexico —drops in print and online on July 31! To receive an issue delivered to your door, you can pre-order a copy now from our online store.
Jul 21
Uncharted: Jodie Herrera
Jodie Herrera is an Albuquerque-based artist. We spoke with Jodie about activism in art and Nuevo, her new exhibition with Frank Blazquez.
Jul 13
Is the Public Art Project at the Santa Fe Plaza Obelisk Allyship, or Artwashing?
A monument to Union soldiers who fought in the Civil War against “savage” Indians is now the site of a community art project organized by the Santa Fe Arts and Culture Department, in which city residents are invited to “create messages of reconciliation.”
Jul 08
Uncharted: Elaine Ritchel, Santa Fe Art Tours
Santa Fe Art Tours was founded in 2015 by Elaine Ritchel. Known for a creative, in-depth approach to arts education, Santa Fe Art Tours specializes in themed tours, multi-day experiences, and is currently offering online studio visits. We caught up with Elaine to discover how her business is navigating the lockdown.
Jul 07
International Folk Art Market goes Digital during COVID-19 Pandemic
In lieu of a fair in the flesh, IFAM organized a virtual festival taking place this week with streamed presentations and artist talks, culminating in a virtual gala and auction presentation Friday evening that will help fund the Market, artist education programs, and year-round public programming.
Jul 01
Art News Briefs: June 2020
Catch up on local arts headlines from April, May, and June! People are on the move at local institutions, grants and scholarships have been awarded, archives collected, and more.
Jun 29
516 Arts Announces Recipients of 2020 Fulcrum Fund Emergency Relief Grants
516 Arts in Albuquerque, a partner in the Regional Regranting Program of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts through its Fulcrum Fund, pivoted its 2020 grantmaking to provide emergency relief to 66 artists and thirteen artist-driven visual arts spaces experiencing economic instability during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jun 24
The Arts and the Black Lives Matter Movement
“It’s really brought home to me the way in which literature can connect us to each other and foster and express our shared humanity. Our experiences in this country might be specific, but through art we can interrogate universal truths about what it means to be human. This is why it’s so important for our arts, culture and society to be inclusive of everyone.”
Jun 22
Uncharted: Cherie Montoya, Farm & Table
Farm & Table is an Albuquerque restaurant with a strong ethos grounded in local food and sustainable practices. Like many in the food and beverage industry, Farm & Table was heavily affected by the COVID-19 restrictions. The week we spoke, the restaurant was fully reopening to the public for the first time since March. We spoke with Cherie Montoya, owner of Farm & Table.
Jun 22
New Mexico Arts Organizations Receive National Endowment for the Arts’ 2nd Round of 2020 Funding
In New Mexico, twelve organizations are the recipients of NEA grants totaling $1,007,000. Among them, Wise Fool New Mexico received an Art Works award of $30,000 for circus arts training and performances. SITE Santa Fe received $20,000 for a major retrospective exhibition of work by Brazilian artist Regina Silveira.
Jun 16
Your Weekly 5×5: Horizon-expanding Films Edition
The Weekly 5×5 is Southwest Contemporary’s top five picks of things to do for the next five days. At least that’s what it was until our to-dos became homebound during […]
Jun 10
NM Art from Anywhere: Ramona Sakiestewa at TAI Modern
Ramona Sakiestewa grew up in the American Southwest where the land and sky informed her artwork. Over 30 years ago her artwork began in tapestry weaving. In 2009, Ramona began focusing on constructed works on paper as a new medium. Using printing, painting, and drawing, the artist layers shapes, colors, and textures to form a dimensional lexicon for the constructions.
Jun 02
Uncharted: Keith Grosbeck and Leland Chapin, Poeh Cultural Center
Keith Grosbeck and Leland Chapin work in marketing at the Poeh Cultural Center in Pojoaque, NM. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Poeh swiftly organized a Facebook group called the Native Artist Marketplace, where Native artists are invited to sell their work. At the time of publication, the group has over 1,500 members. As part of their efforts, the Poeh has offered their team’s knowledge and experience to help artists in their community make the transition to selling their artwork online.
Jun 01
Reading List May 2020
May's Reading List, Southwest Contemporary's monthly compilation of worth-while writings from around the art-world internet, includes multiple takes on the question of how art, the role art plays in the world, and the mechanisms of the art world will have changed during and following the global COVID-19 pandemic.
May 29
Your Weekly 5×5: Lost Padre’s Record Recs Edition
George Casey, owner of Lost Padre Records in Santa Fe, has curated a list of five records to listen to now. A longtime record collector and DJ, George brings us a truly eclectic mix of bonafide jams. Lost Padre Records re-opened last week and are also offering curb-side pick-up and shipping. All the records listed here are available at Lost Padre. Put a record on, turn it up.
May 26
From the Editor: The Future of Southwest Contemporary
After careful consideration, and much initial heartbreak, I have decided that Southwest Contemporary will publish one final print edition this year: our new Field Guide publication. We will suspend print publication of The Magazine for the remainder of 2020, with strong and sincere plans to return to print in 2021.
May 26
Uncharted: Russell Baker
“Uncharted” is a new interview series created in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. We’re talking to people in the New Mexico arts world and beyond to see how the community […]
May 26
ReVisioning History to Imagine the Future: Architecture in Santa Fe
In an effort to bring multiple perspectives into conversation, Friends of Architecture Santa Fe has organized an in-depth series of public discussions termed “ReVisioning History” to take place May through December this year. Each installment of the ReVisioning History series will bring together a group of architects, planners, allied design professionals, and policymakers to make expert presentations, engage in panel discussions, hold Q&A sessions, and structured visioning exercises.
May 26
NM Art from Anywhere: Rania Matar, SHE
Rania Matar, SHE May 15–July 3, 2020 Reception: June 6, 6–8 pm Richard Levy Gallery is pleased to present a selection of nine photographs by Rania Matar from the series […]
May 22
Revisiting the Santa Fe Opera
One of the great fixtures of a Santa Fe summer is Santa Fe Opera, who recently announced the cancellation of its 2020 season due to the pandemic. Since we can't go see the stunning sets in person, we're revisiting our SFO behind-the-scenes series, which has profiled the champions who make up the Opera's scene, props, and costume shops, and detail the way they turn dream-like ideas into dream-like realities.
May 22
Your Weekly 5×5: Books Rule Edition
The Weekly 5×5 is Southwest Contemporary’s top five picks of things to do for the next five days. At least that’s what it was until our to-dos became homebound during […]
May 20
Art Resources During the COVID-19 Pandemic May 2020
Southwest Contemporary has compiled a list of resources that may be useful to our community members at this time. This list will be updated as new information and new resources become available. Check out the most recent updates as of May 20!
May 19
Uncharted: Sarah Stolar
This week we chat with Sarah Stolar, an interdisciplinary artist and head of the art department at UNM-Taos. She shares how her students are coping, and the importance of supporting young artists whose voices we need most
Apr 17
Your Weekly 5×5: Create Something Edition
In a letter author George Saunders wrote to his creative writing students at Syracuse University, he discusses the importance of paying attention and recording this time. That this is the time the world needs our eyes and ears, for later it is our records that will tell the stories of the 2020 pandemic. So, with that in mind, we've gathered some ideas to inspire and guide taking notes, processing, and creating. Making the records. Making some art.
May 12
Uncharted: Mira Burack
In this week's edition of "Uncharted," artist Mira Burack talks about the opportunity we have to reevaluate our relationships with time and space, with earth and rest as we enter into the third month of the pandemic in the United States: "Each person has to ask themselves, 'What is going to be most nurturing and comforting to me?' Everyone can respond to that in different ways."
May 06
NM Art from Anywhere: Jeff Kellar, New Work
Richard Levy Gallery presents New Work: Paintings, Drawings, and Sculpture, a solo exhibition of colorful minimal pieces by Jeff Kellar. He creates beautiful surfaces through the application of many layers of acrylic resin and clay pigment onto paper, aluminum panels, and woodblocks. Each layer is methodically sanded and buffed leaving the surface smooth and modulated. Playing with illusion, ambiguity, and space, Kellar uses these ultra-flat surfaces to form dimensional compositions.
Apr 09
Your weekly 5×5: Kids Edition
The Weekly 5x5 is Southwest Contemporary's weekly email newsletter with our top five picks of things to do for the next five days. At least that's what it was until our to-dos became homebound during the COVID-19 pandemic. We're now sharing five things to enjoy from home, and this week we are focused on creative activities for kids in quarantine captivity.
May 06
NM Art from Anywhere: Tonee Harbert, Through the Static and Distance
This exhibition is the culmination of Tonee Harbert's first nine months at the Roswell Artist-in-Residence program. A photography exhibition that shows the southeast New Mexico landscape with surreal and melancholy beauty, and is relevant during the pandemic, showing an absence of people, while referencing marks of humanity on the landscape.
May 06
Uncharted: Rachel Popowcer
"It’s that idea of, if not now, when? Weirdly, this horrible time has forced me to prioritize and get back to what I actually want to do and not worry about what’s going to happen with it." —Rachel Popowcer
Apr 29
Uncharted: Merry Scully
"Uncharted” is a new interview series created in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. This week, we catch up with Merry Scully, Head of Curatorial Affairs at the New Mexico Museum of Art about working from home, translating the work of the museum to the web, and her hopeful outlook.
Apr 29
Navigating the Noise: Exhibitions Online
The current state of virtual exhibitions is rather disappointing, but there are a few promising gems out there in the cacophonous landscape of the net. In this essay, Lauren Tresp tries to make some sense of the noise of art online.
Apr 21
Uncharted: Pauline Kanako Kamiyama
"Uncharted" is a new interview series created in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. First up, we're talking to Pauline Kamiyama, Director of the Santa Fe Arts and Culture Department, to see how the Department is navigating this unprecedented health crisis and how it is working to serve the rest of the community.
