Renowned Navajo Weaver's Work to Highlight MNA Annual Gala
'Tselani/Terrain: Tapestries of D.Y. Begay' Exhibition Opens June 17
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz., April 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The works of noted weaver D.Y. Begay, inspired by the vistas of the remote community where she grew up on the Navajo reservation, will be featured during the Museum of Northern Arizona's annual Gala on June 16.
The full exhibition, Tselani/Terrain: Tapestries of D. Y. Begay, will open to the general public the following day.
Begay was born and raised in Tselani, Arizona, and her tapestries are rooted in deep and sustained observation of the diverse land and plant forms of her homeland.
"Tselani provides enduring beauty and inspiration for my soul," Begay said. "My birthplace offers my creative spirit with immense possibilities to be woven into my tapestries."
While the exhibition demonstrates the ever-evolving traditions and techniques of Navajo weaving and draws on local sources for inspiration, Begay's work also reflects an engagement with the myriad textile traditions she has encountered in her extensive international travels.
Carrie Heinonen, Director and CEO of MNA, notes that Begay's work has a reputation of deviating from the regional styles often associated with various reservation trading posts, but still reflective of the rich traditions of Navajo weaving.
"Even as she improvises, drawing on other cultures and techniques, her work is grounded in the 'grammar' of traditional Navajo weaving," Heinonen noted.
Begay says her work is intensely personal and reflects the years where she played in the hills and canyons surrounded by ever-changing vistas.
"My weavings are an intimate response to the topography of my origin," she says. "My tapestries are deeply personal: encapsulating memories, capturing intimate thoughts, and observing specific beauty of place. I am constantly striving to celebrate the endless beauty of Tselani, my home."
About the Museum of Northern Arizona: Founded in 1928, the museum's mission is to inspire a sense of love and responsibility for the beauty and diversity of the Colorado Plateau through collecting, studying, interpreting, and preserving the region's natural and cultural heritage. It works in collaboration with native peoples of the Southwest to protect and foster the cultures, traditions, and beliefs of the Colorado Plateau by encouraging artistic expression and educating visitors about the region's art and cultures. The Museum is located at 3101 N. Ft. Valley Rd. in Flagstaff.
SOURCE The Museum of Northern Arizona
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