histories that matter
Colonial And Economic Pressures On Native Craft: How did the Southwestern Pueblo Nations adapt their pottery practices following a legacy of Spanish colonial oppression and the upsurge in Consumer demand of the early 20th Century?
The American Southwest, abundant in clay, has long been shaped by the Pueblo Nations through vernacular crafts and architecture. Clay, often revered as a spiritual entity, embodies both tangible and intangible cultural heritage. The arrival of Spanish colonial forces in the late 17th century introduced a complex dynamic of material and labor exchange with the Puebloans—oppressive yet distinct from other colonial encounters in the Americas. This research examines the impact of these first interactions on Pueblo pottery traditions, questioning their resilience, adaptation, and evolution over time.
By the late 19th century, the Arts and Crafts movement, coupled with archaeological discoveries, rekindled interest in Puebloan pottery. Key figures such as Nampeyo, Maria Martinez, and Lucy M. Lewis played pivotal roles in reviving ancient techniques, though questions remain regarding the commodification of these practices for new markets. The economic influence of the Santa Fe Railroad further shaped production and demand, raising concerns about authenticity and artistic integrity. Through a multidisciplinary approach, including archival research, field studies, and critical analysis of existing scholarship, this study interrogates the intersections of economic disparity, cultural revival, and colonial legacies in the evolving narrative of Pueblo pottery. Furthermore, it considers how these historical events continue to shape contemporary craft practices in Pueblo Nations, influencing artistic traditions, economic structures, and cultural identity today.
Interpretations Of Adobe Construction In Puebloan New Mexico: How did the clay dwellings and home studios of Georgia O'Keeffe and Agnes Martin embody their gendered artistic practice and independent femininity?
This paper analyses how Adobe homes evolved from Puebloan architecture through the influence of Spanish colonisation, and how the Pueblo-Revival style was interpreted through the homes of two influential female artists of the twentieth century, Georgia O’Keeffe and Agnes Martin. These painters are selected to explore how their independent lifestyle, immersion into Puebloan culture, and approach to artistic practices shaped their dwellings and studios, and how these implemented Adobe construction. As this research will uncover, Martin and O’Keeffe had strikingly distinct approaches to both life and artistic inspiration, which were strongly imbued into the design of their homes.
Gifu Paper Lanterns, From Japan To America: To what extent did Gifu Chochin become a transpacific form of Good Design through Isamu Noguchi’s Akari lamps in Mid-Century America?
This research will use the case study of mulberry paper lanterns from Gifu, a prefecture in central Japan, to explore the role of traditional crafts in the transpacific design exchange between post-war Japan and the United States. To focus our research further on the relationship between these countries, we will specifically look at the collection of affordable light sculptures by artist and designer Isamu Noguchi, the Akari lamps. Raised between America and Japan, this interdisciplinary artist was uniquely positioned to create cultural bridges between the two nations in the politically cumbersome times of the post-war. What agency can a designed craft object have in reshaping cultural perceptions in antagonistic nations? What role may transnational politics have played in crafting a successful market for the Akari collection?