Albuquerque Press for Creation/Migration

Thanks Albuquerque, for your warm welcome!

    Reprinted from abqARTS and entertainment, November 2012

 

Four New Mexico artists of diverse ancestry initiate a multi-year project with an exhibition opening November 2 at Ralph Greene’s Freestyle Gallery.

Creation/Migration artists include Donna Caulton, Chamisal; Belinda Edwards, Santa Fe; Betsie Miller-Kusz, Jemez Springs; and Harriette Tsosie, Albuquerque. The four artists met while working on the “Mining the Unconscious” project, three exhibitions and more than 20 community programs completed in Santa Fe last year (miningtheunconscious.org).

The Creation/Migration project is an ongoing inquiry, and each of its projected exhibitions will build on the artists’ exploration of identity issues, such as “Who am I and how did I get here?”, “Genetically speaking, is there such a thing as race?”, “What if what I learn from my scientific investigation contradicts what I have been taught or have always believed?”.

 Miller-Kusz notes that the women are collaborating on an exhibition piece, the Sojourner Basket. “{It is} the actualization of our encounter,” she says.  “The basket references the form of the Apache burden baskets, but instead of carrying burdens it contains the physical and metaphoric effects we carry from our creation myths and our migratory histories.

Edwards suggested the four women have their DNA tested to find their migratory routes out of Africa. They are doing this through National Geographic’s “Genographic Project”, which has already identified seven ancient migratory paths that humans took.  Edwards is particularly interested in tracking her history back to her tribal African ancestors.

All DNA of females living today reaches back to a mitochondrial “Eve”, an ancestor of 100,000 years ago in Ethiopia, from whom we all descended,” says Edwards.

First to complete the DNA testing was painter Caulton, who was shocked by some of her results. “I knew about my Irish ancestry, but I was surprised that part of the migratory route went through Russia.”

November2-December 14

Freestyle Gallery, 1114 Central SW,

243-9267       Reception November 2, 5-7 PM, Day of the Dead

Four female artists had their DNA tested for the Freestyle Gallery’s featured exhibit, “Creation/Migration: Stories of the Journey.”  The women trace their mitochondrial DNA to discover patterns of their migration out of Africa and through the rest of the world. Each explores identity issues.

Belinda Edwards, one of the exhibitors, suggested the artists have their DNA tested as part of the National Geographic “Genographic Project.” She says her creations emerge from dreams and visions.

Betsie Miler-Kusz collaborated with the others on a “Sojourner Basket” containing creation myths and migratory histories.

Donna Caulton’s DNA traces her ancestors’ path through Ethiopia, the Middle East, Russia, and Northern Europe. Her art makes use of mandalas, and explores natural balance and cycles.

Albuquerque’s Harriette Tsosie works with universal symbols.  Her pieces juxtapose the spiritual with the physical.

We may not have any idea where we are going, but with the help of genetic testing, we can at least find out where we as human beings have been.  The exhibit will be up through Friday, Dec. 14, at 1114 Central SW.

Reprinted from WEEKLY ALIBI,  November 7-14, 2012