Joel Elgin. Athraigh Print Studio: COVID

Showing posts with label COVID - 19. Show all posts

Monday, August 17, 2020

Who are the people COVID – 19 is Killing in Your Neighborhood? Revisiting Navajo Nation Printmaking. Featured Artist: Nani Chacon

Joel Elgin, Athraigh Studio.

Printmaking in the time of COVID-19. Small Exhibitions: Who are the people COVID – 19 is Killing in Your Neighborhood?

Revisiting Navajo Nation Printmaking.

Featured Artist: Nani Chacon

Time to check back in with the Navajo Nation, the "Dineh" or "the People" to see how their battle with COVID – 19 is progressing.

A brief review of the Navajo Nation:

In 1864, "Kit" Carson and the United States federal government enacted a plan of ethnic cleansing and forced the relocation of the Navajo from their ancestral homelands to Fort Summer, a 40-square-mile reservation in eastern New Mexico. Years later the U.S.-Navajo Treaty of 1868 allowed the Navajo to return to only a small portion of their original homeland. I’m betting your history books didn’t inform you of the forced “Long Walk of the Navajo.”

Largest of all U.S. Indian reservations, covers 27,413 sq. miles

Only twelve Health Service facilities to serve over 350,000 citizens.

The facilities have only 28 ventilators.

In Mid May when the Athraigh Studio first featured Navajo printmakers the Navajo had suffered at least 3,392 cases of COVID – 19 and 119 known deaths.

“Cases on Navajo Nation peaked in May, with an average of 104 new cases per day. By July, that number dropped by half to about 48 new cases reported each day. In all, about 9,000 of the roughly 172,000 Navajo members living on and around the reservation have tested positive and more than 450 have died from the virus…. Local officials say Navajo Nation’s success in flattening the curve has been largely due to three things: widespread adherence to mask-wearing and social distancing, one of the strictest stay-at-home curfews in the country and an aggressive testing regime.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/specials/navajo-nation-fears-second-covid-19-wave/index.html

“The coronavirus was so devastating on Navajo Nation in part, experts say, because of severely lacking infrastructure on the reservation. An estimated 30 percent of homes don’t have running water…”

https://www.nbcnews.com/specials/navajo-nation-fears-second-covid-19-wave/index.html

The Navajo have shovel ready plans to improve their infastructure and hope to use some of the $714 million in federal aid they received from the CARES Act. A deadline mandates the money be spent by Dec. 30 or the tribes risk have to send it back.

“Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez…wants to spend the money on expanding access to running water and electricity and providing broadband access and more affordable housing on the reservation — in effect addressing the infrastructure gaps that experts said contributed to COVID-19’s deadliness there…” https://www.nbcnews.com/specials/navajo-nation-fears-second-covid-19-wave/index.html

Spending the money by the end of the year is close to impossible, “… because most tribal land is held in trust, and technically owned by the federal government, development on many tribal lands is fraught with complications..”

https://www.nbcnews.com/specials/navajo-nation-fears-second-covid-19-wave/index.html

“…Nez conceded that tribal law also severely restricts infrastructure development on the reservation, but he also said there are concrete federal regulations that can and should be waived to allow for construction…” https://www.nbcnews.com/specials/navajo-nation-fears-second-covid-19-wave/index.html

The Navajo asked the Trump administration in June to waive some federal regulations so the tribe could fast-track development projects. It’s now August and they’ve heard nothing.

U.S. Rep. Tom O’Halleran, D-Ariz., introduced a bipartisan bill to extend the spending deadline for tribal governments to 2022.

https://www.law360.com/articles/1290993/bill-would-give-tribes-2-more-years-to-spend-covid-19-funds

So, the Navajo continue to fight COVID, fight the Trump administration to build infrastructure on a small portion of their original homeland and face the annual summer drought.

So, if we simply focus on water… Digging new water lines and building water towers on the reservation is difficult due to the federal and tribal regulations. Please consider supporting DigDeep.

“DigDeep”, a human rights nonprofit serves the 2.2 million+ Americans without the sinks, bathtubs or toilets has established The Navajo Water Project.

https://www.digdeep.org/our-works/navajo-water-project

To help bring awareness of the need for water. Athraigh studio is featuring the artwork of Nanibah “Nani” Chacon and the Navajo rock band Sihasin:

Take a Stand featuring Jones Benally

https://sihasin.com/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC52saarov2NK3WE8avqqM8Q

Nanibah “Nani” Chacon, is a Diné (Navajo) and Chicana artist who was born in Gallup, New Mexico and grew up both in Chinli, Arizona and Corrales, New Mexico. Her clan is To dich iini (bitter water) and born for Nakai Diné (Mexican/ Spanish people.)

“Agua es Vida” signed and numbered serigraph Print.

“honoring the historical and traditional connections we have with have with water, with the water that lives in us, is the water of centuries” Nanibah.

http://deserttriangle.blogspot.com/2017/11/nani-chacons-mural-to-print.html

Missing

Artist statement about the piece:

This piece is Titled “missing”, I created this piece to honor the lives and memory of unexplained murders and missing Indigenous women of North America.

https://singourriversred.wordpress.com/original-artwork-by-nani-chacon/

"+++"
(three crosses)

"Naa iz Naah"

YouTube Version:

Please visit the Athraigh Print Studio website:

https://www.joelelginathraighprintstudio.com/joel-elgin-athraigh-studio-blog/revisiting-navajo-nation-printmaking-featured-artist-nani-chacon

Instagram:

joel.elgin.athraighprintstudio

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/athraigh

More info on Nani Chacon:

http://deserttriangle.blogspot.com/

http://deserttriangle.blogspot.com/2017/11/nani-chacons-mural-to-print.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPtOTTkMdk4

Navajo rock band Sihasin

Take a Stand featuring Jones Benally

https://sihasin.com/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC52saarov2NK3WE8avqqM8Q

Navajo: COVID 19 and the Water Project

https://www.nbcnews.com/specials/navajo-nation-fears-second-covid-19-wave/index.html

https://www.digdeep.org/our-works/navajo-water-project

https://www.navajowaterproject.org/

https://www.law360.com/articles/1290993/bill-would-give-tribes-2-more-years-to-spend-covid-19-funds

Wednesday, July 8, 2020

“Where We At” Black Women Artists' Collective. “Weusi” Artist Collective KAY BROWN (1932 - 2012)

“Where We At” Black Women Artists' Collective.

“Weusi” Artist Collective

KAY BROWN (1932 - 2012)

During the run of COVID-19, Joel Elgin’s Athraigh Printmaking Studio would like to offer you an opportunity to gain some knowledge of both printmaking/art and the various methods and reasons artists react to the issues around us.

African – American artist’s groups and collectives have traditionally created the support needed to build a strong unified voice. The collective voice from sixty years back is not only the structure for the contemporary art produced today but also impacts the street art that is so important in the raising of awareness in the current nation/worldwide protests.

Artist Kay Brown was a member of two important groups: Where We At and Weusi.

“…Kay Brown (1932-2012) was an African American artist and one of the founders of the Where We At Black women artists’ collective in New York City. She was also a member of the Weusi Artist Collective, based in Harlem during the 1960s and 1970s…”

http://www.shadesofnoir.org.uk/creatives/portfolio/kay-brown/

Weusi Artist Collective

“…A Swahili word meaning blackness, “Weusi” is also the name of a distinguished collective of artists established in Harlem during the 1960’s...”

http://whirlwindcreative.com/weusi/

Where We At Black Women Artists' Collective

“ … In early 1971, Kay Brown, Dindga McCannon, and Faith Ringgold gathered a group of black women at McCannon’s Brooklyn home to discuss their common frustrations in trying to build their careers as artists… Out of this initial gathering came one of the first exhibitions of professional black women artists: “Where We At”—Black Women Artists, 1971. Adopting the show’s title as its name, the collective began meeting at members’ homes and studios, building support systems for making their work while assisting each other with childcare and other domestic labor. Where We At recognized the power of collectivity—empowering black women by creating a network to help them attain their professional goals as artists…”

https://www.albrightknox.org/blog/exhibition-spotlight-dindga-mccannon-and-%E2%80%9Cwhere-we-%E2%80%9D-black-women-artists-we-wanted-revolution

The Devil and His Game

collage of various papers and mixed media on canvas, 1970

The Kick of Life

color etching and aquatint. 1974

Black Mother and Male Child

etching and aquatint on cream wove paper. 1974–1975

Meditation

etching, aquatint

Willowbrook

etching, aquatint

More on Kay Brown:

https://ogs.ny.gov/harlem-roots

http://www.shadesofnoir.org.uk/creatives/portfolio/kay-brown/

YouTube version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8abbowLTGE

If you wish to view higher resolution images of this article and/or read more please visit the Athraigh Print Studio main page or it’s related blogs:

https://www.joelelginathraighprintstudio.com/joel-elgin-athraigh-studio-blog/where-we-at-black-women-artists-collective-weusi-artist-collective-kay-brown-1932-2012

https://www.joelelginathraighprintstudio.com/

https://joelelginathraighprintstudio.blogspot.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/athraigh

Thursday, May 21, 2020

Who are the people COVID – 19 is Killing in Your Neighborhood? Apache and Pueblo Art/Printmaking.

Joel Elgin, Athraigh Studio. Printmaking in the time of COVID-19. Small Exhibitions: Who are the people COVID – 19 is Killing in Your Neighborhood?

Apache and Pueblo Art/Printmaking.

Sung to the tune of the Sesame Street song…

Who are the people in Your Neighborhood? The people COVID – 19 is Killing Each Day. Apache and Pueblo Art/Printmaking.

Over 89,000 people have died from COVID - 19. The Trump government wants you to see only numbers but behind each number is a person.

In the U.S. people of color are at greater risk than others. Among the most vulnerable are Native Americans.

Today, in the second exhibit detailing Who are the people COVID – 19 is Killing in Your Neighborhood? Athraigh Studio continues the intention of showing that the dying are not just numbers, by bringing you examples of the contemporary art/printmaking of the Apache and the Pueblo.

The Apache and Pueblo are located in the in the Southwest Cultural Region incorporating the lower parts of Utah and Colorado, all of Arizona and New Mexico, and the northern deserts of Mexico. Like the Navajo, Hopi and the Zuni they are battling COVID – 19 with little help from the Trump administration.

Let’s examine how COVID – 19 is affecting Native Americans in New Mexico:

New Mexico’s 23 tribes compose just 11% of the state population.

The reported cases among tribal communities, combined, make up almost 60% of all positive cases in New Mexico.

50% of all people who had died of COVID-19 in New Mexico were Native American.

So, who are the Apache?

Na i sha Apache (Tribe of Oklahoma)

Chiricahua Warm Springs Apache (Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma)

Jicarilla Apache Nation, New Mexico

Southern Athabaskan Native Americans. (Mescalero Apache Tribe New Mexico)

San Carlos Apache Tribe, Arizona

Dilzhe’eh Apache (Tonto Apache Tribe of Arizona)

White Mountain Apache Tribe, Arizona