
Lifelong Art Collaboration Between Mother and Daughter
Nora Naranjo Morse and Eliza Naranjo Morse: Lifelong at the Blanton Museum of Art is part of In Creative Harmony: Three Artistic Partnerships, a larger project that examines the connections between three artist pairs. The duo belongs to a Tewa-speaking Pueblo community, and their work is deeply rooted in their cultural heritage, exploring themes of ancestry, community, and the environment through various mediums.
The exhibition, curated by Hannah Klemm, marks the first immersive collaboration between Nora and Eliza, showcasing a contrast in scale and materials from Eliza’s painted scenes and Nora’s large-scale figurative sculptures. Eliza’s paintings, such as “Light from Love” and “When the Sun Sets Differently,” provide a viewer perspective that invites reflection on one’s role and impact within the narrative. These works highlight the intricate interplay between storytelling, cultural legacy, and artistic creation.
Nora’s series, We Come with Stories, continues her exploration of clay combined with repurposed materials. Her sculptures, like those in the Healers from Some Other Place series, contribute to a broader dialogue, bridging ancestral ties with contemporary environmental concerns. These vibrant, textured pieces contribute a unique voice to the narrative landscape Eliza paints.
The exhibition invites viewers to consider their place within these stories, pondering the harmonization of past, present, and future within the art created by this mother-daughter team. It runs through July 20 at the Blanton Museum of Art.