Pharaoh 171 Artist Talk & Reception

Hear Joe Pekara—aka Pharaoh 171—talk about the upcoming exhibition Pharaoh 171 x Red Berry Woman: Photography + Fashion, his work in photography and the music industry, and his recent collaborations with Norma Baker-Flying Horse (Red Berry Woman).
A reception will follow. Free and open to all!

Pharaoh 171 is the artistic moniker for Joseph ‘Sagonige Yanasi’ Pekara, a three-time Grammy Award, and two-time Sony Award winning photographer. A native of Fort Collins, Colorado, Pekara is a part of the Choctaw and Tsalagi nations. Although he is best known for his hip-hop and concert photography, Pekara is also highly active in making images of wildlife, portraiture, landscapes, and scenes of Native North American culture.

Pekara got his start with a digital SLR camera that he inherited from his uncle. His photos from Fort Collins concert venues—especially of the indie hip-hop group Hieroglyphics—led to his main gigs as tour photographer for Nappy Roots and 50 Cent (Curtis James Jackson III). He also makes photos for the rapper Wale, Erica Banks, and others.

While his primary professional focus is concert photography, Pekara also excels at wildlife photography, which he likens to capturing live moments on stage. His work has also always included powerful images of Indigenous culture, which led to a cultural recognition award from the Smithsonian Institute and the Recording Academy (who award the Grammys) in 2022.