During my trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico I went to the Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) “a center of the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA), is dedicated to increasing public understanding and appreciation of/for contemporary Native art, history and culture through presentation, collection/acquisition, preservation, and interpretation. The MoCNA is recognized as the pre-eminent organizer of exhibitions devoted exclusively to the display of dynamic and diverse arts practices representative of Native North America” (Museum of Contemporary Native Arts website). It is a great starting point to build your knowledge of contemporary Native arts.

The exhibition of John Hitchcock Traces of the Plains had a deeply relevant message and encouraged viewers to think of the use of control, assimilation, war and fear that surround our society. Full of images set with US military weaponry and mythological and hybrid creatures from the Wichita Mountains in western Oklahoma, the art work consists of paper and multimedia installations of printed matter and video.

John Hitchcock “Traces of the Plains” 2012 Museum of Contemporary Native Arts. Photo by Erin K Hylton 2014.

John Hitchcock “Cotton Electric” 2011 screenprint and ink pen on paper Museum of Contemporary Native Arts. Photo by Erin K Hylton 2014.

John Hitchcock “Epicentro” 2011-14 silkscreen on felt Museum of Contemporary Native Arts. Photo by Erin K Hylton 2014.

John Hitchcock “Traces of the Plains” 2012 Museum of Contemporary Native Arts. Photo by Erin K Hylton 2014.

John Hitchcock “Epicentro (detail)” 2011-14 silkscreen on felt Museum of Contemporary Native Arts. Photo by Erin K Hylton 2014.

John Hitchcock “Epicentro (detail)” 2011-14 silkscreen on felt Museum of Contemporary Native Arts. Photo by Erin K Hylton 2014.