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A beautiful, original Monotype of a Hopi Antelope Kachina figure by Hopi artist, Dan Namingha, 1988
You could say that the distinguished contemporary Hopi artist, Dan Namingha (B.1950) was born to serious
artistic greatness. He is the son, grandson, great-grandson, great-great grandson, and great-great-great
grandson of great Hopi artists.
His Mother was the great Hopi Potter, Dextra Quotskuyva Nampeyo (1928-2019), his Grandmother was another great Hopi potter, Rachel Namingha Nampeyo (1903-1985), his Great Grandmother, Annie Healing Nampeyo (1884-1968), was
yet another great Hopi potter, and his Great-Great-Grandmother was the ultimate Hopi Pottery matriarch, Nampeyo of Hano (1859-1942) whose Mother, White Corn, was also an accomplished Hopi potter.
Not a bad artistic resume any way you look at it.
Dan was born and raised at Hopi and attended The Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe, where he was strongly influenced by renowned Hopi artist and painting instructor, Otellie Pasiyeva Loloma. He also attended the American Academy of Art in Chicago, IL and The University of Kansas in Lawrence, KS. Dan’s younger sister, Hisi Nampeyo, and his first cousin, Les Namingha, also became distinguished Hopi pottery makers, but Dan decided to express and distinguish himself in different artistic mediums than his various family ancestors and relatives. He became a painter
and a sculptor instead of a pottery maker.



Six Generations of the Nampeyo/Namingha Family
From left to right in the photo at left, c. 1905, are Annie Healing Nampeyo holding baby Rachel Namingha Nampeyo, Nampeyo's Mother White Corn and Nampeyo of Hano. In the center photo is Dextra Quotskuyva Nampeyo c. 2018 and in the photo at right, Dan Namingha, c. 2012.
All photo source and © Wikipedia

But Hopi culture, history, legends and symbology have always been Dan's primary subject matter and recurrent themes in his work, like this wonderful original 1988 original Monotype of an Antelope Kachina figure. Dan’s work has been widely exhibited, recognized and received numerous awards. Over the course of his 50 or so year career thus far, he has had over 70 one-man shows at museums and galleries around the world. He was a 1995 recipient of the New Mexico Governors award for excellence in the arts, the 2016 Living Treasures Award from The Museum of Indian Arts and Culture in Santa Fe and was awarded an honorary doctorate at IAIA in 2009.
The Antelope Kachina figure in this monotype is most beautifully rendered in a somewhat stylized modernist manner
with a strong earth tone color palette. The figure is gazing forward with a timeless, somewhat mysterious expression. The overall impression here is of great strength, beauty and dignity. The full paper sheet of this Antelope Kachina Monotype measures 22” in height by 14 1/2" in width, the image itself measures 9 1/4" in height and 8" in width and the framed dimensions of the piece are 26" in height and 18 1/2" in width. The piece is properly and very nicely signed “Dan Namingha” and dated “1988” in pencil at the lower right and it is also titled “Antelope Kachina” in pencil in Namingha’s hand at the lower left.
The Monotype is most beautifully framed to showcase the entire fine art paper sheet in a light-colored beveled
ash wood frame and both Monotype and frame are in excellent original condition and especially so for their 37 years
of age. There is some very slight wrinkling to the art paper at the lower right. There is an original Niman Fine art gallery label on the verso of the frame indicating the relevant details of the piece. Artistically speaking, a “Monotype” is a completely original image in exactly the same way as a painting; there is only one. It is a unique, one-of-a-kind print made by transferring an original image hand painted by the artist from a flat surface such as glass, metal or plastic, onto a single sheet of paper.
Incidentally, it is well worth noting for reference that a large (80" x 70") original 1989 oil painting of an extremely similar Antelope Kachina figure by Dan Namingha (see above right) sold at the Santa Fe Art Auction eighteen years ago
in November, 2007 for $27,000 (Lot #220). This 1988 Monotype could have very possibly been the artist's original study for that 1989 painting.
The provenance of this piece is absolutely letter perfect. Niman Fine Art in Santa Fe has been owned by and has represented the work of Dan Namingha and his family since 1990. We purchased this Monotype earlier this year
from the family of its original Santa Fe owner who originally purchased it from Niman Fine Art in Santa Fe in 1990.
This Monotype is a beautifully accomplished original piece of Hopi fine art by the hand of a distinguished
contemporary Hopi artist who has six generations of Hopi artistic greatness looking over his shoulder making sure
he does proper credit to the family legacy which he does here completely and beautifully.
SOLD







Above right, Dan Namingha, "Antelope Kachina", oil on canvas, 80" x 70", 1989
Photo source and © Santa Fe Art Auction

