On the heels of a retrospective featuring the work of renowned sculptor Glenna Goodacre, Nedra Matteucci Galleries is hosting another major exhibition of work by an equally preeminent sculptor—Michael Naranjo. The show, Reflections of a Sculptor: The Life and Work of Michael Naranjo, will feature 40 bronzes that span the artist’s 50-year career from the 1970s to pieces completed in the last five years. On view August 10 through August 30, the show will also serve as a celebration of the artist’s 80th birthday.
Little Cloud, bronze, ed. of 3, 92½ x 18 x 18”
Naranjo was born in Santa Clara Pueblo in 1944 and grew up in Taos, New Mexico. His mother, a potter, noticed his early talent and encouraged his artmaking. In what could have derailed that pursuit, Naranjo was the victim of a grenade attack while serving in the Vietnam War that stole his sight and much of his right hand. But he was undeterred.
In the ensuing years, Naranjo has been invited to the White House, first by President Nixon and later President Clinton, and has had the honor of gifting a cross to Pope John Paul II in Rome, where a scaffold was erected around Michelangelo’s David, allowing Naranjo to “see” it through touch, a practice he encourages in his viewers. He creates his bronzes, ranging from hunting scenes and maidens to animals and mythical creatures, while relying solely on his memory and without use of his right hand or tools. Today his work is in the collections of the Vatican, the White House, the Heard Museum and other prestigious institutions.
He’s My Brother, bronze, ed. of 10, 32 x 14 x 15½”
“Many people are drawn to Michael Naranjo’s works even before they are aware of his story. The lack of exactitude in his works, the unique poses, black patinas and eyeless faces pull people in because they are so different from other sculptors’ works,” says gallery director Dustin Belyeu. “Perhaps as humans we subconsciously see the magnetism in this clearly different perspective, even if we don’t know the reason for such uniqueness.”
Among the many highlights of the exhibition is Little Cloud which features a water bearer, a traditional symbol of life and the nurturing nature of the feminine. Belyeu explains, “The artist frequently depicts women and mothers in a soft, admiring light, likely due to the strong significance of the women in his life, including his wife, Laurie, who is a constant support to him, and his mother, Rose Naranjo, who first fostered his passion for art.”
The Last Dance, bronze, ed. of 10, 16¾ x 17 x 48½”Another bronze, He’s My Brother is a somber, moving piece inspired by Naranjo’s traumatic time in Vietnam, that depicts a soldier carrying another, immortalizing the unparalleled brotherhood forged by war.
The Last Dance features an Eagle Dancer mid-performance, shown with the dynamic energy that he recalls from his youth. “The artist is from the Santa Clara Pueblo and his heritage has been one of his primary inspirations throughout his career,” says Belyeu. “The elaborate dances and other traditions, including the Eagle Dance, formed many of his visual memories that he’d later rely on to make his art without sight.
Tender Moment (two pieces), bronze, ed. of 10, Mother & Child: 15 x 8½ x 6½”; Metate, 11/2 x 2 x 3 1/2"
“Michael Naranjo’s legacy is hard to capture briefly, but it is a story of finding beauty, positivity and success in life in spite of obstacles that would have made many others give up,” Beyleu continues. “It is about achieving some of the greatest accomplishments any artist could dream of, yet remaining humble and remembering your roots. That’s who Michael Naranjo really is.”
Nedra Matteucci Galleries
August 10-30, 2024
1075 Paseo De Peralta, Santa Fe, NM 87501 (505) 982-4631, www.matteucci.com
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