The New Mexico Museum of Art has launched "O’Powa O’Meng: The Art and Legacy of Jody Folwell," the first solo exhibition dedicated to an Indigenous woman in the institution's history. This career retrospective, organized in collaboration with the Minneapolis Institute of Art and the Fralin Museum of Art, features over 30 works by the Santa Clara Pueblo potter. The display includes a newly debuted piece, "Buffalo Hunt," and highlights Folwell’s innovative use of relief techniques and narrative surfaces that address contemporary political and social issues.
This exhibition is a significant milestone for institutional representation in New Mexico, honoring a living legend who revolutionized Pueblo pottery by blending traditional methods—such as hand-digging clay and using natural pigments—with provocative modern commentary. By showcasing Folwell’s work in her home state, the museum emphasizes the evolution of Indigenous art from strictly traditional forms to a sophisticated pictorial language that engages with global events, cultural appropriation, and personal identity.