The pop culture that is swimming around in Jason Garcia’s head is made up of equal parts nostalgia from his childhood and his present-day reading/watch lists: Conan the Barbarian, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, comic book genius Jack Kirby, fantasy artist Frank Frazetta, and fantasy franchises Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones. It’s a fun soup sloshing around.
Tewa Tales of Suspense, August 1680, Native clay and slips
Those interests—including every sword, sandal, spear and shield—are in Garcia’s newest show, Tewa tales of Suspense and Other Adventures, opening November 12 at King Galleries in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
“Conan and He-Man are definitely strong influences, but so are many other sword-and-sandal stories, including science fiction,” Garcia says. “More than anything, though, I was inspired by a lot of outward expressions involving women in power, women in leadership roles and just seeing strength and fortitude in women, especially during the Covid pandemic.”
Tewa Tales of Suspense, No. 80, Native clay and slips
Tewa Tales of Suspense No. 6, Native Clay, native clay slips
Many of his newest works at King Galleries show women as heroic warriors—they are proclaiming their might with bows in their hands, or leaping into a volley of arrows behind a shield. A recent inspiration came from the film Prey, in which a fierce Comanche woman takes on an extraterrestrial predator (in fact, the Predator). While his pop-culture interests may involve myths, legends and fairy tales, his own Pueblo heritage is rooted in factual stories. The interplay between fiction and nonfiction, myth and legend, and parable and literal history is what makes his pottery work so well—the images are fantastical and playful, but Garcia’s own cultural heritage is on full display, particularly the Pueblo Revolt of 1680.
Tewa Tales of Suspense No. 81, Native clay and slips
“These are Tewa stories, all of them. Many of them are oral histories that were passed down through generations. These are the stories that inform my work,” he adds.
“Jason Garcia has taken a distinctive direction in his look at the Pueblo Revolt of 1680,” gallery owner Charles King says. “His clay tiles, inspired by comic book covers, capture dramatic moments in the revolt. More importantly, the view is from the perspective of a Native artist. I was pleased to have his first showing of the Tewa Tales of Suspense in 2008, and it’s exciting to have a showing of new works almost 15 years later!”
King Galleries
Opens November 12, 2022
130 Lincoln Avenue #D, Santa Fe, NM 87501
(480) 440-3912, www.kinggalleries.com
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