Just in time for the buzz of Santa Fe Indian Market, the Institute of Contemporary Art Santa Fe proudly unveils “Introducing: Fawn”, the latest work from the First American Girl: Doll Box Series — a powerful and layered portrait of Fawn Douglas (Las Vegas Paiute Tribe), created in collaboration with the artist herself.
Opening Friday, August 16 from 5–8 pm, as part of the exhibition Reservation for Irony: Native Wit and Contemporary Realities (curated by Trotta Bono-Contemporary), this vibrant installation positions Fawn as a cultural force: artist, activist, burlesque dancer, and head matriarch of Nüwü Art Studios.
Set within a retro Las Vegas-themed “doll box,” the piece juxtaposes sacred Southern Paiute homelands with the modern-day irony of life in an urban, entertainment-saturated landscape. Fawn stands surrounded by symbols of cultural resilience and identity — from handcrafted Paiute baskets and a gourd rattle made by family, to a metal basket she forged herself from construction materials.
With bold references to neon, petroglyphs, and gaming culture, the work is a living dialogue on Indigenous womanhood, survival, and self-representation.
This not-to-miss unveiling adds a fresh, contemporary perspective to the week’s events and further amplifies Indigenous voices through wit, power, and radical visual storytelling.
Event Details:
Reservation for Irony: Native Wit and Contemporary Realities
Opening Reception: Friday, August 16, 2025 | 5–8 PM
Location: Institute of Contemporary Art Santa Fe
