Is it Indian? German? Or Lower East Side?

Visual artist Brad Kalhamer credits his multi-cultural background for inspiration for his works. He was born of native American parents in Tucson at 11:59–that’s why the show is entitled “11:59 to Tucson”. The ancestry or tribal affiliations of his biological parents were unknown which, he says, has allowed him to create works drawing from a wide range of indigenous American traditions.

Adopted as an infant by a white couple of German ancestry, he grew to adulthood in the 1950s and ’60s in a middle class Wisconsin neighborhood. Then, after a few years on the road as a young musician, he went off to New York and the artistic boiling pot of the Lower East Side.

All these threads come into play in his works now being exhibited at the Tucson Museum of Art.

The first gallery of this show at TMA could be called the “Dead Native Americans” gallery. It contains two competing/complimentary works by Kalhamer. It’s hard to know which one to look at first. One is large sculptural assemblage of a fort battered but still standing surrounded by dead Indians. On the wall beside this sculptural tableau are dozens of drawings and paintings pasted directly on the wall.

The wall of (mostly) the dead. German Expressionism and Mexican indigenous influences are evident in many of the skull portraits as is clearer in the details of the second image.

Mixed media “kachina” doll sculptures

Drawing on the tradition of Hopi Kachina dolls, there are small figural sculptures throughout this exhibition. Kalhamer calls them “Spiritual Advisors”.

Then come my two favorites: the chandeliers and the collection of sketchbooks, including one at the top of this post. Imagery inspired by Pacific Northwest tribes–think totem poles–stretch across the top of the two pages of the sketchbook, shown.

And here is one chandelier created from found objects. Were they found in New York? Or Arizona? (Kalhamer has a studio in Mesa.)

In the Sculpture Garden courtyard at TMA is another work of art by a Native American artist: Allan Houser. This massive figure, entitled “Prayer Song”, could not be more different from the Kalhamer art works. And in the background of this photo is another American legend: a Western cowboy on his horse.

“Brad Kalhamer: 11:59 to Tucson” exhibit runs through September 25, 2022. After you’ve seen the show stop by nearby Ceres for lunch or gelato.

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