The Albuquerque Museum is proud to present Chip Thomas as a visiting artist from April 1, 2024 through April 6, 2025. Chip Thomas, also known as "Jetsonorama," is a physician, public artist, and activist who began practicing medicine in the Navajo Nation in 1987.
"In June of 2009 I started a self-funded, public art project on the Navajo Nation, Western Agency, I called ‘Big.’ I went back through twenty-two years of negatives and started blowing photographs up larger than life and wheat pasting them onto roadside stands and abandoned buildings. I'm still amazed at the resonance this project has with people on the reservation and amongst travelers passing through. I'm thankful for having found this form of self-expression as a means of relating to the community where I've lived and worked for almost half of my life," Thomas shared about his art project.
Thomas’ large-scale wheat-pasted photo murals bring together images, memories, emotions, people, and stories deeply rooted in the land, history, and cultural backdrop of the Navajo Nation. These murals have served various purposes, including being used as vehicles for public health announcements during the COVID-19 pandemic and as sites of collaboration with other artists and activist organizations. They also aim to bring attention to the issues that persist in many tribal nations.
Josie Lopez, head curator of the Albuquerque Museum, commented on Thomas' work by saying, "Chip Thomas's large scale photo installations serve as a poignant reminder that art has the power to transcend boundaries, connect with communities, and inspire change. Through his insightful interactions, Thomas deftly navigates the intersection of art, history, and activism, leaving an indelible mark on both the cultural landscape and the hearts of those who inhabit his photographs."
Thomas will be activating the Museum’s lobby with his iconic photo murals as Albuquerque Museum’s 2024 Visiting Artist. He will also be one of the participating artists in Broken Boxes: A Decade of Art, Action, and Dialog, which will be on view beginning in fall 2024.
Albuquerque Museum’s Visiting Artist program is generously funded by the Frederick Hammersley Fund for the Arts at the Albuquerque Community Foundation.
