The Cuarto Centenario Project
Numbe Whageh and La Jornada are not part of the Albuquerque Museum’s art collection. They are part of Albuquerque’s Public Art Program and were commissioned as part of the Cuarto Centenario Project in the early 2000s. The project was originally proposed as a commemoration of 400 years since the arrival of the Spanish in New Mexico. Numbe Whageh sits in close proximity and is a response to La Jornada, which depicts Spanish families arriving in the region led by Don Juan de Oñate. Oñate is known for claiming parts of North America for Spanish settlement. While Spanish settlers brought their culture, goods and customs to the region, the historical narrative also includes the violent massacre and mistreatment of the Acoma people at the hands of Oñate.
Naranjo Morse chose to create Numbe Whageh separately from La Jornada in order to honor the Pueblo communities that existed before Spanish arrival and continue to exist today. The contrast between the two artworks is one that invites contemplation of the history of New Mexico, the trauma and injustices that have shaped that history, and an opportunity to consider how these issues relate to each of us today and in the future.
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