Center for the Study of Southwestern Jewelry
Exhibition Dates
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Exhibition Dates
Jim and Lauris Phillips Center for the Study of Southwestern Jewelry.
Jewelry while universal in appeal is a major Indigenous artform in the Southwest. Explore the breadth and depth of this symbolic, political, communal and innovative artform, from past to present.
In 2015, the Wheelwright Museum opened its largest expansion to date, the Jim and Lauris Phillips Center for the Study of Southwestern Jewelry devoted to the art history and contemporary interpretation of the jewelry traditions of the Southwest. Two new spaces were part of this development, the permanent display space, the Martha Hopkins Struever Gallery, and the temporary exhibition space, the Schultz Gallery.
The result of more than twenty years of collecting and research, the Struever Gallery is the first permanent gallery in the United States to be devoted to the rich traditions and meanings of Navajo and Pueblo jewelry. The artworks are drawn entirely from our extensive permanent collection, tracing historical development from 1850 to the present day. The gallery is refreshed periodically to feature new acquisitions.
In the gallery you will find the work of landmark artists and innovators from the nineteenth, twentieth and twenty-first century. From the ancient lapidary tradition to the historic gold filigree work found in Pueblo communities, from the boldness of nineteenth century traditional Navajo silversmithing to the sleekness and expressiveness of mid-twentieth century Hopi overlay, from Kewa mosaic work to the dazzling intricacy of Zuni lapidary work, the Struever Gallery presents over 700 artworks that provide endless wonder and inspiration.
Silver avanyu pendant with inlay of turquoise, jet, shell, and coral on coral and turquoise beads; Inlay by Lee Yazzie, probably 1970-1980
Art in public spaces, including murals, can serve as a vehicle for dialogue about history, describe relationships, and depict the resilience of the community in the hope to create equity, agency, and healing.
Join us as we reflect upon the changing nature of the Wheelwright Museum’s mission and activities, as recorded through the museum’s archives.