IAIA A-i-R: Leah Mata Fragua—Open Studio Mornings

Name: IAIA A-i-R: Leah Mata Fragua—Open Studio Mornings
Start: 2025-11-05T09:00:00-07:00
End: 2025-11-05T10:30:00-07:00
Location: 83 Avan Nu Po Road, Santa Fe, NM, United States, New Mexico 87508

Schedule

Wed Nov 05 2025 at 09:00 am to 10:30 am

UTC-07:00

Location

83 Avan Nu Po Road, Santa Fe, NM, United States, New Mexico 87508 | Santa Fe, NM

Please join the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) Artist-in-Residence (A-i-R) artist Leah Mata Fragua (Northern Chumash) on Wednesday, November 5 from 9:00–10:30 am for an open studio event to learn more about her practice and current projects.
Located in the A-i-R and Jewelry Studios in the Academic Building, this event is free and open to the public.
Leah Mata Fragua is an artist, educator, and member of the yak tityu tityu yak tiłhini (Northern Chumash) tribe of the Central California Coast. As a place-based artist, her kincentric approach blends shared iconography with personal imagery, emphasizing their interconnected influence. Working with a wide range of materials—from place-based to recycled—Leah explores the relationships between land, kinship, and self. Her practice reflects a commitment to protecting traditional materials and continuing art forms that are vital to her community, while also expanding her individual expression. Leah holds a BA in Anthropology, an MA in Cultural Sustainability, and an MFA in Studio Arts from the Institute of American Indian Arts. Her work is held in the collections of the Autry Museum, Tia Collection, Denver Art Museum, Hood Museum, and numerous private collections. “For this residency at the Institute of American Indian Arts, I propose to engage with the return of salmon following the recent removal of dams in California. This event resonates within California Indian coastal frameworks of relationality and reciprocity. Through a series of paper sculptures, with natural plant dyes designed as an ephemeral installation, I am working to reflect the profound ecological and cultural significance of the salmon’s return. The resulting work will be an installation composed of these sculptural forms, where the interplay of handmade paper, plant dyes, and wood will create a cohesive environment. The installation approach allows for a spatial exploration of form, inviting viewers to engage with the pieces not just as individual objects but as part of a larger, interconnected landscape. By incorporating wood as a core element, the sculptural forms gain stability and context, grounding the installation in a material that signifies connection to place, nature, and traditional practices.”
For more information about the IAIA A-i-R program, please contact Maia Filippi, A-i-R Program Manager, at [email protected] or call (505) 424-2369.
If you are an individual with a disability and in need of any auxiliary aid or service to attend events, please contact IAIA’s ADA Office at least seven calendar days before the event or as soon as possible at [email protected] or (505) 424-5707.
https://iaia.edu/event/iaia-a-i-r-fragua-open-studio-mornings/