In the 1980s, Ortiz, being fascinated by and a fan of Star Wars, created figures like Wookie (1980s) and others – which were in effect
turning into a more artful presentation of various monos prepared for high end galleries, like the Family Friend (1997), Opera Singer
(1990s), and Opera Singer (2001). Equally, Virgil continued making traditional vessels, but with modern graphics – some with more traditional graphics or animals, like Cochiti Jar (1997),
Mopez (2008), and Hummingbird Dragonfly Jar (2017). In each piece, you see him reach back into tradition and then stretch forward into a
unique language of design motifs. Later, he
stretches the medium further by overlaying products of clay and characters within video
and film. (Ortiz does not share sacred designs, only family designs.)
By the late 1990s and early 2000s, Virgil
started to take a hard look at his cultural framework and to place it alongside the larger cultural change happening across the country. In each instance, Ortiz’s experience generated interesting insights that he expressed through his art.
For example, in 2015, Virgil took a one-year
In each piece, you see him reach back into tradition and then stretch forward into a unique language of design motifs. Later, he stretches the medium further by overlaying products of clay and characters within video and film.
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Left:
Wookie, 1980s
Opposite:
The traditional firing process."We use cedar and aspen wood to fire our traditional pottery. It is fired outdoors in much the same way as it has been for the past several hundred years."
Photos Courtesy of:
Virgil Ortiz