Scottsdale Art Week will honor acclaimed photographer Cara Romero as its inaugural Indigenous Artist of the Year during the Opening Night Vernissage of its second annual event March 19 at WestWorld.<\/p>\n
Romero, a member of the Chemehuevi Indian Tribe and owner of the Cara Romero Gallery in Santa Fe, has emerged as one of the most respected Indigenous artists of her generation.<\/p>\n
\u201cHer work blends fine art and editorial photography to present contemporary Native identity in bold, vibrant ways that challenge outdated stereotypes,\u201d Art Week organizers said in a release.<\/p>\n
The award will be presented during the Opening Night Vernissage from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, March 19, marking the official kickoff of the four-day art fair, which runs March 19\u201322 at WestWorld, 16601 N. Pima Road.<\/p>\n
The evening, presented by Gila River Resorts & Casinos and benefiting Phoenix Art Museum, will feature an awards ceremony alongside gallery previews, entertainment and opportunities for collectors and art enthusiasts to view and purchase works from 124 galleries representing 18 countries.<\/p>\n
Over the past year, Romero\u2019s work has appeared in more than 10 museum group exhibitions, culminating in her first museum solo exhibition, Panupunuwugai, at Dartmouth College\u2019s Hood Museum of Art.<\/p>\n
The title is drawn from a Chemehuevi word that evokes \u201clight emerging, like the sun rising over mountains,\u201d as well as the idea of imbuing inanimate objects with spirit. The exhibition opened Feb. 28 at Phoenix Art Museum.<\/p>\n
\u201cRomero\u2019s images \u2014 often colorful, contemporary and intentionally defiant of historical tropes \u2014 reposition Native subjects outside the sepia-toned imagery that long defined mainstream portrayals of Indigenous people,\u201d organizers said..<\/p>\n
A recent Forbes profile described her work as celebratory and modern, depicting Native Americans \u201cas contemporary and vibrant,\u201d rather than frozen in the past.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis award celebrates more than my work,\u201d Romero said. \u201cIt’s also an acknowledgement of my community, our stories and our culture, and it\u2019s a tremendous honor to be a part of Scottsdale Art Week alongside so many talented Indigenous artists.\u201d<\/p>\n
Scottsdale Art Week created the Indigenous Artist of the Year Award to spotlight artists whose work explores Native identity and contemporary Indigenous life.<\/p>\n
\u201cLast year, we gave the Arizona Artist of the Year Award to Din\u00e9 weaver Melissa Cody,\u201d said Scottsdale Art Week co-owner Trey Brennen. \u201cWhile we will continue to give that award annually, we decided to add a new award exclusively for Indigenous artists.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brennen said honoring Indigenous creators is particularly meaningful in the Southwest, where Native communities remain central to the region\u2019s cultural identity.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing in the Southwest, we feel it\u2019s increasingly important to honor the wonderful work being done by members of the Indigenous communities around us,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Scottsdale Art Week debuted last year, drawing more than 14,000 attendees and over 100 galleries. Organizers say this year\u2019s event will expand both in size and programming.<\/p>\n
In addition to the international gallery lineup, the fair will partner with leading Arizona cultural institutions including Phoenix Art Museum, Heard Museum, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art and ASU Art Museum.<\/p>\n
Scottsdale Art Week presented by Scottsdale Ferrari \u201cis the largest new American fair of art and design in decades,\u201d according to a release.<\/p>\n
It features historical and contemporary works, welcoming well over 120 galleries from across the U.S. and around the world while honoring its home in Arizona by highlighting contemporary Indigenous artists.<\/p>\n
Romero\u2019s r\u00e9sum\u00e9 includes exhibitions at major institutions such as the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, The Autry Museum, The Zimmerli Art Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.<\/p>\n