© 2024 Texas Public Radio
Real. Reliable. Texas Public Radio.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Yanaguana Indian Arts Market Takes Over Briscoe Museum

The Briscoe Western Art Museum's Yanaguana Indian Arts Market will be filling their river side facility with art and sound on Oct. 7 and 8. 

"That is a name that was given by the people that lived here in the region, pre-Spanish contact," Jenny Chowning explains about the word Yanaguana. "That was a name that they gave to the river. So this is a name that is intended to honor the indigenous people of the region."

In its fourth year, the annual market is a celebration of contemporary native arts, with about forty artists and craftmakers ready to sell their work.  

Chowning says not to expect old school Native American art.

"A lot of these artists are utilizing tribal tradition, and then taking their own spin. And the intention of this market is really to challenge some of those stereotypes," she says. 

There is the "art for sale" aspect to the market, and then there's the family-friendly portion of the event.

"We also have a series of performances – music, story-telling, dance – that will be happening here as well," Chowning says. "They're going to be doing these huge puppets, and there'll be puppet making, as part of that. And we also have a group called Innastate, which is a indigenous reggae band from Santa Fe."

If you're wondering if you can afford taking your family, there's something you should know.

Both days are free and open to the public, with tours of the museum throughout the day highlighting Native American artists in the Briscoe collection.

"A lot of performances that are happening in the McNutt Sculpture Garden, but we also have a ledger art workshop that is happening indoors, and a turquoise 101 on the museum side," she says.

Free admission to the event means the you get to see the rest of the museum, too.  

Find more on the Yanaguana Indian Arts Market here

Jack Morgan can be reached at jack@tpr.org and on Twitter at @JackMorganii