Program Title/NOLA:
New Mexico Masterpieces
NMMP 000
# of Episodes:
1/60
Length:
58:53
Rights:
Unlimited 3 years
Series Description:
From stone, to canvas, to words on a page, for centuries New Mexico has served as an inspiration to artists. Our original documentary New Mexico Masterpieces features some of the Land of Enchantment’s most enduring, pivotal, provocative, and beautiful artworks. This special one-hour documentary tells the stories behind Chaco Canyon’s Pueblo Bonito, Georgia O’Keeffe’s Grey Cross with Blue, John Nichols’ The Milagro Beanfield War and more.
Production Format:
HD Base
Closed Captioned
Stereo
Producer: New Mexico PBS
Nature of Producing Organization: Station
Production Funding:
Frederick Hammersley Foundation
Nellita E. Walker Fund
KNME-TV Endowment Fund
The Great Southwestern Arts & Education Endowment Fund
Presenting Station/Group: New Mexico PBS
Broadcast History: Previous Local Broadcast on New Mexico PBS
Content Alert: None
Tag Language: N/A
Promotional Contact:
Michael Privett, New Mexico PBS (505) 277-1230
Address:
1130 University Blvd. NE
Mailstop: MSC 12-7110
Albuquerque, NM 87102
Local Underwriting Cleared: Yes
Underwriting Language:
Funding for the Production of New Mexico Masterpieces was provided by:
Frederick Hammersley Foundation
Nellita E. Walker Fund
KNME-TV Endowment Fund
The Great Southwestern Arts & Education Endowment Fund
Cost/Conditions: Free upon notification of intent to carry
Artist Summary and Quotes:
PAINTER GEORGIA O’KEEFFE’S FIRST VISIT TO NEW MEXICO IN 1929 FOREVER CHANGED HER LIFE.
“O’Keeffe was looking for an escape so she found that thing that so many people were looking for in the 1920’s. She found an America that could not be confused for Europe or any other place in the world.” ~ Andrew Connors, curator The Albuquerque Museum
TAOS LANDSCAPE PAINTER VICTOR HIGGINS’ SOMBER AND BEAUTIFUL PAINTING WINTER FUNERAL CAPTURES A MOMENT IN THE HISTORY OF TAOS VALLEY.
“The interesting thing is, a painting doesn’t come out and just smack you and say, ‘here I am, I’m a masterpiece,’ it draws you in slowly. A lot of paintings take more time. The great ones are the ones that lie there in wait.” ~ Dean Porter, art historian
TAOS PAINTER ERNEST BLUMENSCHEIN’S BEAUTIFUL AND COMPLEX, STAR ROAD AND WHITE SUN PROVOKES A NEW DIALOUGE.
“He comes completely into his own in the crucible of the landscape and people of Northern New Mexico.” ~ Elizabeth Cunningham, art historian
AFTER NINE YEARS OFTREMENDOUS EFFORT FREDERICO VIGIL COMPLETED ONE OF NEW MEXICO’S GREAT ARTWORKS, THE TORREÓN FRESCO, “MUNDOS DE MESTIZAJE.”
“When I walked into this space and they said – here is the wall for you – I felt like one of the luckiest guys in the world.” ~ Frederico Vigil, artist
TIMELESS, LOVING… THE MILAGRO BEANFIELD WAR CAPTURED HEARTS AROUND THE WORLD THROUGH MIXING CULTURE, SOCIAL JUSTICE, AND HUMOR. AUTHOR JOHN NICHOLS SHARES HIS INSPIRATION FOR THE STORY.
“The Milagro Beanfield War is about a little struggle over water in a taxation district, right? To exploit the water in Northern New Mexico. It’s basically infinity in a grain of sand.” ~ John Nichols, author
NATIVE AMERICAN ARTIST T.C. CANNON KICK STARTED A MOVEMENT. HIS VIBRANT WORK COLLECTOR #5 CAPTURES THE HEART OF A REVOLUTIONARY TIME AND AN ARTIST WHO COMBINED TRADITIONAL CULTURE AND LIVING IN THE MODERN WORLD.
“He was really good at capturing the human condition. And he also wanted to talk about his world. It was very important to him to get ideas across from the Native American world because he was real proud of that at the same time that he had things to say about it.” ~ Joan Frederick, art historian
RENOWNED FILMMAKER, GODFREY REGGIO, CREATED THE INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED FILM KOYAANIQATSI.
“We live in a world more real than true, so I wanted to make an effort to make a film more true than real.” ~ Godfrey Reggio, filmmaker
HIDDEN BY TIME AND ITS REMOTE LOCATION DEEP IN CHACO CANYON SITS PUEBLO BONITO, ONE OF NEW MEXICO’S GREATEST WORKS OF ARCHITECTURE.
“I think for a lot of people, including pueblo people, modern pueblo people, it’s like a reminder of what we used to know and how we used to live and what we used to acknowledge in the world that we don’t anymore. That we are part of a natural organization, part of a natural structure.” ~ Rina Swentzell, architect, Santa Clara Pueblo
Producers Statements:
“I have always been intrigued by the way different people perceive our world and how stories are refracted through direct experience. Artists often devote a lifetime to expressing their experience, being as honest and clear about it as they can. I find their artistic journey taps into a larger story of shared experience. New Mexico Masterpieces honors this journey.” ~ Producer, Tara Walch
“It’s important to take a moment and stop and understand our history, its significance and how it’s connected to so many cultures. These artworks reach out to us, through them we learn about how profound New Mexico really is. New Mexico Masterpieces is just a start there are so many more great artworks to share and stories to tell.” ~ Executive Producer, Michael Kamins
