Reservation Scene

Artwork Description

Louise Nez, a renowned Diné (Navajo) matriarch, weaves scenes inspired by her own life and culture. Here, a trio of buttes in the distance places Reservation Scene in the Southwest. The community hums with activity. A hogan, the octagonal structure at right, represents the traditional home and ceremonial space of Diné families. A covered wagon drawn by two horses seems to have just arrived. Women below spin and card wool and weave geometric rugs at the upright loom, while livestock mill about across the scene.
Along with geometric patterned textiles, pictorials have been a creative tradition for generations of Navajo weavers. The longstanding Navajo rug trade enticed many cultural tourists throughout the twentieth century and led to the development of a new and growing market. Diné women continue to compel cultural respect and economic compensation for their work.