Kachina Dolls: The Art of Hopi Carvers
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Book Overview
Much has been written about the popular kachina dolls carved by the Hopi Indians of northern Arizona, but little has been revealed about the artistry behind them. Now Helga Teiwes describes the development of this art form from early traditional styles to the action-style kachina dolls made popular in galleries throughout the world, and on to the kachina sculptures that have evolved in the last half of the 1980s. Teiwes explains the role of the Katsina spirit in Hopi religion and that of the kachina doll--the carved representation of a Katsina--in the ritual and economic life of the Hopis. In tracing the history of the kachina doll in Hopi culture, she shows how these wooden figures have changed since carvers came to be influenced by their marketability among Anglos and how their carving has been characterized by increasingly refined techniques. Unique to this book are Teiwes's description of the most recent trends in kachina doll carving and her profiles of twenty-seven modern carvers, including such nationally known artists as Alvin James Makya and Cecil Calnimptewa. Enhancing the text are more than one hundred photographs, including twenty-five breathtaking color plates that bring to life the latest examples of this popular art form.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0816512647
ISBN13:9780816512645
Release Date:September 1992
Publisher:University of Arizona Press
Length:161 Pages
Weight:0.90 lbs.
Dimensions:0.5" x 6.1" x 9.2"
Customer Reviews
1 rating
In a word: OUTSTANDING!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 25 years ago
Cecil Calnimptewa, Ronald Honyouti, Loren Phillips, Dennis Tewa and Wilmer Kaye ... they're all in this book, plus 22 other top Hopi carvers. Need I say more! Author/photographer Teiwes begins by tracing the life, history and religion of the Hopi and brings the reader to the doorstep of 1991 (the publication date). 24 color photos serve as the central focus of the book, but the final 63 pages which profile the 27 carvers is what really "makes" it. My copy is in paperback. I assume the hardback foremat is the same. Pick up a copy; you'll thoroughly enjoy it!!!
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