Acoma 

Editor: This is Joyce Kozloff's "Acoma," a mixed-media print. It’s filled with geometric shapes and lines. I'm drawn to the earthy tones but also a little puzzled by how the composition is broken up into seemingly separate sections. What historical and cultural factors might have influenced Kozloff in creating this piece? Curator: It's fascinating to consider the sociopolitical context of Kozloff’s work, particularly within the Pattern and Decoration movement. The "Acoma" print pushes back against the traditional art world's hierarchy that valued so-called "high art" over "decorative" or "craft" forms, which were often associated with women or non-Western cultures. Do you notice any strategies here to emphasize or elevate this type of cultural hybridity and/or devalued form? Editor: I do see the intentional use of repeating patterns and how that contrasts with more gestural mark-making. Was she perhaps critiquing the art world's biases at the time? Curator: Precisely. Kozloff and her peers sought to challenge the dominant narrative, highlighting the beauty and complexity found in diverse visual languages and cultural traditions that had often been dismissed as mere ornamentation. Considering that "Acoma" is the name of a Native American Pueblo, does this give you a clue on sources from which the artist might have appropriated aesthetic languages? Editor: Absolutely! That makes me think about the politics of appropriation inherent in the piece, the dynamic interplay between insider and outsider perspectives on what gets deemed valuable in the art world, and also how this artwork has the potential to rewrite some of these ingrained biases. Curator: Right. This piece demonstrates how art serves as a powerful platform for social commentary and cultural exchange, prompting us to question prevailing norms and to embrace a broader understanding of artistic expression. Editor: It’s incredible how considering these socio-political forces transforms how I see the print! Thank you.