Catch up on recent art news headlines in the Southwest region, including people on the move, grants, and more.
News
Albuquerque Group Files Appeal to Keep Old Town Murals
The owners of Plaza Don Luis in Old Town Albuquerque have filed an appeal with the city in an attempt to save two murals by local artists Jodie Herrera and Reyes Padilla. In January 2022, the City of Albuquerque decided to remove the artworks, which several small businesses and artists say have pumped new life into the historic district. According to a press release, the appeal goes to a land-use hearing officer “who will determine if the Landmarks Commission were within their rights to make the decision at hand. If the officer favors the decision to remove the murals, it will move into the hands of [Albuquerque] City Council.”
Student Protest at the New Mexico School for the Arts in Santa Fe
As reported by the Santa Fe New Mexican, New Mexico School for the Arts students and allies held a protest on Friday, February 25, 2022 against the administration’s handling of a recent controversy as well as other issues. A widely distributed poster by the Women of Color Collective that brought awareness to the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women was altered by a student of the state-chartered arts school to include a slur. The collective and students were upset with the administration’s handling of the situation and what they claim is a generally unwelcome campus environment for students of color.
Grants and Awards
New Mexico State University Art Museum Wins Grant from the Mellon Foundation
The NMSU Art Museum in Las Cruces will receive $300,000 from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, which, according to a press release, is the largest supporter of the arts and humanities in the nation. The money will be used for the museum’s general operations.
Ninety Albuquerque Artists Selected for Residency Projects
The City of Albuquerque’s Urban Enhancement Trust Fund recently announced selections for its 2022 Resiliency Residency program, which will individually award $2,500 to ninety Albuquerque artists for local public performances, presentations, showcases, and exhibitions “enhancing creative life in the city” from February 2022 through June 2023, according to a press release.
Leadership Changes and Appointments
Indigenous Woman from Arizona Named Chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities
The United States Senate recently confirmed Shelly C. Lowe (Navajo), who grew up in Ganado, Arizona, as the twelfth chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities. The University of Arizona graduate previously served as a member of the National Council on the Humanities from 2015 to 2021.
A New Executive Director at Fresh Arts in Houston
On February 1, Marci Dallas announced that she has stepped down as executive director of Fresh Arts. Angela Carranza, most recently the organization’s managing director, has taken the reigns of the Houston nonprofit that fosters the careers of local artists and creative entrepreneurs.
Adriana Farietta Departs Ballroom Marfa
Adriana Farietta, the advancement deputy at Ballroom Marfa from 2017 through the beginning of 2022, recently departed the West Texas contemporary art museum for the position of deputy director at the Armory Show in New York. A replacement had not been announced or listed as of press time.
