Balloon Museum Announces All Black and White, an Exhibition Exploring the Unique Designs of New Mexico Artists
July 22, 2021 - The Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum has announced a new fine art exhibition opening Thursday, July 29 at the Balloon Museum. On view through the summer of 2022, the exhibit is a collaboration between the Balloon Museum and the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.
All Black and White explores the use of black and white design in contemporary New Mexico art and connects the striking use of those shades to the black and white striped attire of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® Launch Directors. In the sea of color and texture, launch directors, fondly called “Zebras,” clear the way for each hot air balloon to launch safely into the sky.
Black and white is the most basic form of drawing and design. The stark contrast catches the eye and can project movement, intrigue, and even stories. New Mexico holds a rich and long-standing history of black and white. Pottery left by Ancestral Puebloan people reveals intricate and complex designs through natural pigments. Today, those designs are maintained in the works of the living Pueblo People and inspire contemporary artists.
Curated by Rachel Moore, Curator of Exhibitions at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, and Augustine Romero, Gallery Curator for the City of Albuquerque, the exhibition features drawings, paintings, sculpture, mixed media works, and murals by ten New Mexico artists.
The artists featured are Marla Allison, Karl Bautista, Amanda Beardsley, Celestino Crowhill, Danielle Rae Miller, Danila Rumold, Jessey Sandoval, Charmaine Shutiva, Steve Smith, and Shawn Turung. The exhibition will also include a slideshow of crowdsourced photographs of “Zebras” submitted by Balloon Fiesta attendees.
Curator Augustine Romero notes, “All Black and White is a fresh and exciting adventure. It has scale and dimension that creates for interesting reflection on the concept of black and white from an artist's perspective.”
And from curator Rachel Moore, “New Mexico has such a deep and rich history of art and design. This show is a great opportunity to explore that history in a very fundamental form that continues on into contemporary art and even seen in unique Zebra fashion.”
The exhibition opens on Thursday, July 29 with an opening reception from 6:30 to 8 p.m. This opening event is free and open to the public.