‘Artist Hopid Unveiled’ second chapter opens at Museum of Northern Arizona
A new selection of artwork goes on view September 12, 2026, at the Museum of Northern Arizona as Artist Hopid Unveiled enters its second chapter, “Ancestral Echoes.”
Designed as an exhibition visitors can experience anew, Artist Hopid Unveiled changes three times during its yearlong run. Each installation features different works and stories, allowing the museum to present more of the art, ideas and cultural influences of Artist Hopid than could be shown at one time.
The first chapter, “Tending the Source,” introduced the five artists and the cultural sources central to their work. The new installation, “Ancestral Echoes,” explores how they engaged with petroglyphs, pottery designs and ancient kiva murals as living sources of inspiration.
The exhibition’s three chapters are:
- Tending the Source, May 16–Sept. 7, 2026, introduced the five artists and the cultural sources central to their work.
- Ancestral Echoes, Sept. 12–Dec. 6, 2026, explores how the artists engaged with petroglyphs, pottery designs and ancient kiva murals as living sources of inspiration.
- Enduring Images, Dec. 11, 2026–April 30, 2027, will explore how Artist Hopid brought ancient Hopi imagery into conversation with Cubism, Surrealism, Color Field painting and Pop Art.
Artist Hopid was formed in 1973 by celebrated Hopi artists Michael Kabotie, Delbridge Honanie, Milland Lomakema, Neil David Sr. and Terrance Talaswaima. The collective spoke intentionally to Hopi and non-Hopi audiences by bringing traditional Hopi values and imagery—drawn from farming, katsinam, ancestral forms and everyday life—into conversation with contemporary art movements.
Their work is visually dynamic, often humorous and deeply rooted in Hopi cultural knowledge.
Among the collective’s objectives was “to experience and test new ideas and techniques in art using traditional Hopi designs and concepts,” said Alan Petersen, the museum’s former fine arts curator, who co-curated the exhibition with Kelley Hays-Gilpin, curator of anthropology.
“These artists were steeped in ancient cultural knowledge but not the least bit afraid to try new things,” Hays-Gilpin said. “They worked hard to balance the changes in the world around them while staying grounded in tradition.”
The artists drew inspiration from ancestral art forms, kiva murals, pottery, textiles, petroglyphs and the painting tradition associated with the Santa Fe Indian School. They also engaged with modern and contemporary movements including Cubism, Surrealism, psychedelia, Color Field painting and Pop Art.
In a 2006 article in the museum’s Plateau journal, Kabotie and Honanie wrote about the importance of attaining balance and exploring new forms of expression.
“We wanted Hopi and non-Hopi to know that our worldview is about seeing that everything is connected and that no part is unimportant,” they wrote. They described developing a “new visual language” by reinterpreting and experimenting with older designs and putting a “new twist on them.”
The artworks come from the museum’s extensive collection of works by Artist Hopid, including recent acquisitions. Visitors are invited to return for each chapter and discover more in the related publication available in the Museum Shop.
The Museum of Northern Arizona also holds three major collaborative murals by Kabotie and Honanie: the six-panel Journey of the Human Spirit and two three-panel Pottery Mound murals. Created in 2001, the acrylic paintings reflect Hopi life, ancestral imagery, spiritual cycles, and historical and contemporary influences on Hopi culture. Although the murals are not included in the current exhibition, visitors may see them by reserving a place on the museum’s monthly public tour of the Easton Collection Center.
Artist Hopid Unveiled is presented in the Courtyard Gallery at the Museum of Northern Arizona through April 30, 2027.
Artist Hopid was formed in 1973 by celebrated Hopi artists Michael Kabotie, Delbridge Honanie, Milland Lomakema, Neil David Sr. and Terrance Talaswaima. The collective spoke intentionally to Hopi and non-Hopi audiences by bringing traditional Hopi values and imagery—drawn from farming, katsinam, ancestral forms and everyday life—into conversation with contemporary art movements.
Their work is visually dynamic, often humorous and deeply rooted in Hopi cultural knowledge.
About the Museum of Northern Arizona
Founded in 1928, the Museum of Northern Arizona (MNA) preserves and celebrates the natural and cultural heritage of the Colorado Plateau. Through its exhibitions, educational programs, research, and community events, the museum fosters a deeper understanding of the region’s art, science, and people. Located near the foot of the San Francisco Peaks at 3101 N Fort Valley Road in Flagstaff, the museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extended hours until 7 p.m. on Thursdays.
For information about current exhibitions and programs, visit https://musnaz.org.
About the Terra Foundation for American Art
The Terra Foundation for American Art, established in 1978 and having offices in Chicago and Paris, supports organizations and individuals locally and globally with the aim of fostering intercultural dialogues and encouraging transformative practices that expand narratives of American art, through the foundation’s grant program, collection, and initiatives.
