American Indian Art Show | San Francisco will once again offer top-quality Native American artwork and material to collectors when it returns on February 18. The 11-day show will be held virtually.
Acoma Pueblo Manta, ca. 1860, cochineal dyed saxony wool yarn embroidered on indigo and dark brown diamond twill end bands, with green (indigo/vegetal) handspun outlines end bands, 42 x 52". Courtesy Michael D. Higgins Antique Indian Art.
Kim Martindale, producer and owner of the show, says the decision to go virtual was not an easy one, but a virtual show would allow more people to view the artwork and participate, particularly since the show is normally held in California, a state that has been more proactive about health protocols related to Covid-19. “We knew early on that having a virtual show would be the best for everyone, and by making that decision early it allowed us to really focus on the website and how the show would be presented,” Martindale says. “Over the summer, we completely redid the site and updated it. We’re really happy with where it’s at.”
Polik Mana, Hopi, Late 19th to early 20th century, 14 x 10". Courtesy Toby Herbst Antiques.
When the show opens on February 18, virtual attendees will be able to browse art in a multitude of ways: by gallery or dealer, by keyword, and even by category, be it Hopi carvings, Navajo weavings, beaded moccasins or many other kinds of materials. “One of the things we’re really excited about is we created a wish list feature, so if someone sees something they like they can add it to their wish list so they can get back to it again easily, even if the items on their list are all from different dealers,” Martindale says. “Every change we made was to make the experience easier and friendlier.”
When collectors find something they like, they won’t be purchasing through the show website, but working directly with the dealer or gallery that is offering the piece. This will allow each vendor to interact directly with their collectors, answer questions, arrange payment and handle shipping. “We want that interaction,” Martindale adds.
Mask, Yupik/Inuit, 19th century or earlier, 8½". Courtesy Art Blackburn.
Various Hopi katsina carvings, from left: examples from the 1880s, 1900-1920, 1960s, an Ernie Moore carving from the 1990s, and a 2021 piece by Manfred Susunkewa. Courtesy Buffalo Barry’s Indian Art.
And for those concerned the event will never return to an in-person show in San Francisco, Martindale says they have already secured 2023 dates for a live and in-person show. “It’s always been our intention to return to a live sale, and that’s what we will do in 2023,” he says.
Martindale has lined up more than 120 exhibitors, including Trotta-Bono, Clear Sky Gallery, Art Blackburn, Buffalo Barry’s Indian Art, Terry DeWald American Indian Art, and Red Mesa Gallery. Dealers will offer a huge variety of Native American materials in every medium imaginable, from Plains beadwork, Pueblo carvings, weavings, basketry, jewelry and much more.
Additionally, there will also be online video programming, including two panels hosted Native American Art magazine, a proud media sponsor of the event. American Indian Art Show | San Francisco will run concurrently with the San Francisco Tribal & Textile Art Show. —
February 18-28, 2022
American Indian Art Show | San Francisco
www.virtualamericanindianartshows.com
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