Indigenous Art in the City
Over the past week
I have been in awe that there has been a mural going up across the street from Pearl Beach Brew Pub on Peoria Ave in Tulsa. I have watched this ordinary garage wall be turned into a beautiful eye opening piece. I just couldn’t help but stop when I saw the artists thriving in the fresh Tulsa morning air.
Meet your painter
Naniban “Nani” Chacon, a resident artist of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Nani and her apprentice Lynnette Haozous have been commissioned by Tulsa Artists Fellowship member Yatika Fields to help bring awareness and a broader indigenous outreach to the community through one of her world famous murals.
Over the past week and a half Nani and Lynnette have been working day and night on the first installation of this project, originally set to be done at the beginning of the year and postponed due to Covid-19, is expected to be finished late tonight into early tomorrow morning.
The artist putting together this indigenous series
Yatika Fields, who I had the pleasure of meeting during my visit, has put together a series of artists from out of state and locally to fill various areas with indigenous art. Hoping to help give a starting voice to natives in the city, Yatika is bringing in these artists as apart of his community project through his fourth year grant as a Tulsa Artist Fellowship member.
Through many shared giggles
between Nani and Lynnette, and a few refreshing laughs over how beautiful the paint was, I am very grateful I had the pleasure of being able to meet and photograph these ladies in their natural state.
You can tell their devotion to their craft by simply listening to them speak about what they are doing, why they are doing it, and by viewing all the minute details in the soles of the moccasins that in hand tell their own story about walking ( and dancing) a different path with different tribal recognition in the patterns of “bead work” on each boot.
Check out the finished mural tomorrow, Wednesday, September 30, 2020. Across the street from the Indian Health Care Resource Center of Tulsa, Oklahoma Central Credit Union, and Pearl Beach Brew Pub with a perfect view of downtown Tulsa, a minutes walk from Centennial Park, and 6th street stores on Peoria Avenue you won’t miss this mural.
Fun Fact:
Did you know that this mural is actually on native land? Since the McGirt V. Oklahoma ruling by the Supreme Court, Eastern Oklahoma is once again reservation land. This mural is on Muskogee Creek Nation Reservation land, which spans from highway 244 and everything south of it. Google maps has been updated to give you a better sense if the tribal government land.
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XO,
M.Torres
