The Museum of Indian Arts and Culture will open a new exhibition titled "Màatakuyma: Now It is Becoming Clearer to Me," featuring the work of Hopi photographer and filmmaker Duwawisioma (Victor Masayesva Jr.). The exhibition runs from August 31, 2025, through April 19, 2026.
"Màatakuyma" presents images from Duwawisioma’s career, focusing on Hopi ancestral traditions as they intersect with contemporary life. His photographs use color, composition, and symbolism to depict Hopi culture, history, and agricultural practices. The exhibition addresses how modern elements like cars and electronic communication affect traditional ways but also explores the possibility of bringing these forces into balance.
Duwawisioma emphasizes themes of Hopi sovereignty, identity, and the relationship between people and nature. He highlights the importance of corn, water, wind, and land in sustaining both daily life and spiritual practice for the Hopi community.
Born in Hotevilla, Arizona in 1951, Duwawisioma studied at the Horace Mann School in New York City before attending Princeton University for English literature and photography. After returning home in 1978, he became active in his community’s civic and religious activities. His filmmaking credits include "Itam Hakim Hoplit" (1984), which was added to the National Film Archives in 2023, and "Imagining Indians" (1992), a film examining Native American representation in media. In 2025, he was named a Fellow at the Center for Art, Research, and Alliances (CARA).
The Hopi Tribe lives on three mesas in northeastern Arizona across twelve villages. They have maintained their cultural heritage through ceremonies, farming methods adapted to dry conditions, and efforts to preserve language and tradition.
A notable feature of the exhibition is "Natwani: Corn Story," a series representing the Hopi lunar agricultural calendar through twelve images. This series illustrates corn’s role as both food staple and spiritual symbol within cycles of planting and harvest.
"The mission of the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture/Laboratory of Anthropology is to serve as a center of stewardship, knowledge, and understanding of the artistic, cultural, and intellectual achievements of the diverse peoples of the Native Southwest," according to museum representatives.
The Museum of Indian Arts & Culture operates under New Mexico's Department of Cultural Affairs with support from donors through the Museum of New Mexico Foundation.
