Petroglyphs in Motion, 2002

James Luna
(American | Luiseño, born 1950, died 2018)

Location: University of Washington, Seattle

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Petroglyphs in Motion is a series of eight conceptual self-portraits by artist James Luna (Luiseño). The compositions and poses are inspired by ancient petroglyph drawings. The imagery and ideas in the photographs began as a performance piece at SITE Santa Fe, in New Mexico, in the year 2000. Luna’s art shakes up our ideas of what an American Indian is. He states that "they [the viewer] have every right to leave or to laugh."

This artwork is part of the Contemporary Native American Artwork Collection, on view at the University of Washington Gallagher Law Library in Seattle. James Luna is one of the eight featured contemporary Native American artists. The collection was proposed by artist John Feodorov, who selected the eight represented artists for their rich and forward-thinking cultural expression. Speaking to the contemporary nature of this collection, Feodorov notes “since art, like law, is an ever evolving process, it cannot rely on nostalgia if it is to remain relevant."

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with University of Washington.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

James Luna (Luiseño, 1950-2018) was a performance artist, photographer, and multimedia installation artist. His art explores and challenges stereotypes of Native American peoples, especially in our modern world. Humor and irony play important, healing roles in Luna's work.

Luna lived on the La Jolla Indian Reservation in Southern California. He was of Luiseño, Payómkawichum, Ipi, and Mexican heritage. Luna earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the University of California at Irvine in 1976 and a Master of Science degree in counseling at San Diego State University in 1983. He taught art at the University of California, San Diego, and spent 25 years as a full-time academic counselor at Palomar College in San Marcos, California. In 2011, he received an honorary doctoral degree from the Institute of American Indian Arts in New Mexico.

ARTWORK DETAILS

Material Category	Work on paper - photograph
Medium	Gelatin silver prints [A, C, E, G] and incorporated color coupler prints [B, D, F, H]
Dimensions	20 in x 16 in
ID Number	WSAC2003.050.00A-H
Acquisition Method	Direct purchase
Artist Location	California, United States

Location Information

Agency	University of Washington
Artwork Location	University of Washington Gallagher Law Library, 4293 Memorial Way NE
WA County	King
Placement	Interior
Site Type	University
Address	15th Ave. NE, between NE Pacific St. and NE 45th St. Seattle, WA 98195
Geo. Coordinates	47.659716, -122.310542
Before Visiting	Some artworks may be located in areas not accessible to the general public (especially in K-12 public schools). Consider contacting the site prior to a visit to ensure access.
Map

Petroglyphs in Motion, 2002

James Luna (American | Luiseño, born 1950, died 2018)

Location: University of Washington, Seattle

ARTWORK DETAILS

Location Information

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(American | Luiseño, born 1950, died 2018)