Albuquerque - Blue Winds Dancing: The Whitecloud Collection of Native American Art opening at The Albuquerque Museum of Art and History on Sunday, August 12 highlights 30 years of passionate collecting by Dr. Thomas and Mercedes Whitecloud. The exhibition presents a unique look at diverse works of art by various Native peoples from across the United States and Canada including textiles, baskets, apparel, moccasins, beadwork and bags.
The late Thomas Whitecloud was an eminent New Orleans orthopedic surgeon of northern Great Lakes descent. He and his wife Mercedes, who had a penchant for Indian baskets, started their collection in the late 1960s. The more than 300 pieces offer exquisite examples of artistic expression from both ancient and contemporary tribal traditions across North America.
“Blue Winds Dancing will showcase remarkable fine art and craftwork from Indigenous Peoples rarely seen in the Southwest,” says Douglas A. Fairfield, Curator of Art at The Albuquerque Museum of Art and History. “This collection has never before been seen outside New Orleans, and it is one of the most significant collections of its kind, both in private hands and public institutions. We are delighted to share this remarkable collection of Native American art with the residents of Albuquerque and the State of New Mexico.”
Blue Winds Dancing is organized by the New Orleans Museum of Art. It is the second exhibition from New Orleans to be seen at The Albuquerque Museum in recent years. Resonance from the Past: African Sculpture from the New Orleans Collection was on display at the museum May 14 – August 13, 2006.
The Albuquerque Museum of Art & History
2000 Mountain Road NW, Albuquerque NM 87104
Museum admission: $4 Adults ($1 discount to NM residents w/ ID),
$2 Seniors (65+), $1 Children 4-12. Children 3 and under are free.
General admission is free the first Wednesday of the month and every Sunday from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
The Albuquerque Museum is a division of the Cultural Services Department of the City of Albuquerque.
Martin J. Chávez, Mayor.