Artist Talks and Panels
Mercedes Dorame: Everywhere is West
Follow Los Angeles–born artist Mercedes Dorame as she walks Tovaangar land, photographing the Channel Islands and the village of Guashna. Working in landscapes, and calling on her Tongva ancestry, Dorame engages with ideas of space, memory, community, and (in)visibility. In this interview, the artist offers insight on her photo series Everywhere is West, which appears in SFMOMA’s exhibition Kinship: Photography and Connection.
Credit Line:
Director: Pamela J. Peters and Duane Humeyestewa
Producers: Pamela J. Peters
Cinematographer: Duane Humeyestewa
Editors: Duane Humeyestewa
Watch here.
These Lovely Streets: Episode 15 | Mercedes Dorame
"My work really engages what it means to be an Indigenous person in contemporary Los Angeles." - Mercedes Dorame. Mercedes calls upon her Tongva heritage to work through ancestral wisdom for a more sustainable future. One of the places that Mercedes recommends to visit is Ferndell, a hidden gem at Griffith Park where visitors can see a natural spring and the location of a Tongva village site.
Watch here.
You Are On Tongva Land: Mercedes Dorame, Angela R. Riley & Wendy Teeter
Presented by the Hammer Museum
Artist Mercedes Dorame, a member of the tribe of Gabrielino Tongva Indians of California, joins Angela Riley, director of UCLA’s Native Nations Law and Policy Center, and Wendy Teeter, Fowler Museum archaeology curator, to discuss repatriation and land ownership in indigenous communities.
Watch here.
Museum Conversations with Mercedes Dorame
Presented by the Museum of Sonoma County
The Museum of Sonoma County is pleased to present artist Mercedes Dorame in conversation with Art Curator and Museum Executive Director, Jeff Nathanson. Dorame creates what she describes as "humble ceremonial interventions" and installations in the landscape to explore the problems of living in a place that her Tongva tribe no longer has access to. This virtual program is presented in conjunction with the exhibition "Landscape: Awe to Activism." This program was originally recorded on September 23, 2020. This recording has been edited for time and privacy.
More about "Landscape: Awe to Activism: https://museumsc.org/landscape
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts
Join artist, Mercedes Dorame (Tongva), for a presentation on her artistic practice, former and current work, and learn about the project she will be working on throughout her residency month.
Watch the full video here.
In Conversation: Mercedes Dorame and Tomiko Jones
Westward, curated by guest curator Ann Jastrab, was an expansive exhibition featuring women photographers focusing their attention on the American West, subverting notions related to the masculine conceit of Manifest Destiny. This conversation will bring together two artists that think deeply about history, land, and belonging.
Watch the full video here.
Tongva Artists Talk
Presented by UCLA American Indian Studies Center
An afternoon discussion with two Tongva artists: MERCEDES DORAME is a Tongva artist who uses her cultural history to engage problematics of (in)visibility and ideas of cultural construction. RIVER TIKWI GARZA is also a Los Angeles Tongva artist and a member of the Ti’at Society. Garza’s work draws on traditional Indigenous aesthetics, Southern California Indigenous maritime culture, graffiti, Xicanx culture, and the Los Angeles urban experience. Brought to you by the UCLA American Indian Studies Center, Los Angeles, CA
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Made in LA 2018
Made in L.A. 2018 is the latest iteration of the Hammer’s acclaimed biennial exhibition, showcasing artists from the greater Los Angeles area.
Watch the full video here.
