No one really needs to be reminded that Santa Fe is as well known for its art as its chile. And like the infinity-plus-one techniques for creating the red and green sauces that appear on nearly every plate served in the city, there is a style of art for nearly every taste.
But choices can be overwhelming, especially for visitors who are not knowledgeable about Southwestern forms and style.
Museum Hill, on the city’s northeastern fringe, offers a primer in three collections, scaled for visits that can last an hour or a day.
Start at The Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, in the Buchsbaum Gallery of Southwestern Pottery . This is where you will be introduced to pot shapes and decorative techniques. The collection is organized historically, from prehistory to contemporary times, and includes work from the major pueblos of Arizona and New Mexico.
The museum also hosts temporary exhibits. Up now: “Harry Fonseca: In the Silence of Dusk,” which runs through Jan. 2, 2011.
Across the plaza is the Museum of International Folk Art. The centerpiece of this collection is “Multiple Visions: A Common Bond,” a vast assemblage of toys, folk art and crafts collected from 100 countries by Alexander and Susan Girard. The gallery is closed until June for renovations.
In the interim, wander through the temporary exhibits with special attention to “A Century of Masters: The NEA Heritage Fellows of New Mexico,” which runs through Jan. 16, 2011. This compact collection of the works of 12 New Mexico artists honored by the NEA includes music, storytelling and fine examples of local pottery, woodcarving, silverwork and exceptionally beautiful santeros.
Down the hill is the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art, dedicated to the preservation of Hispanic art forms common in New Mexico and Colorado. The collection includes santos, textiles, tinwork, silverwork, goldwork, ironwork, straw applique, ceramics, furniture and books, and it spans four centuries.
What to choose? what to choose?
The cause is helped a bit by a bargain ticket that lets you pick and choose from the three museums on the hill and two in downtown Santa Fe. Two museums in one day runs $15; $12 for New Mexico residents. Visit all five over four days for $20; $18 for New Mexico residents.
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