Tony Abeyta is known primarily as a painter, but has also worked in sculpture, printmaking, and, more recently, in jewelry. He comes from a long line of artists. His father, Narciso Abeyta, was part of the early Santa Fe Indian School and made a series of paintings in the mid-20th century about Navajo spiritual beliefs. His mother, Sylvia Ann Abeyta, was non-Native and an extremely knowledgeable ceramic artist. His sisters, Elizabeth and Pablita Abeyta, were both very accomplished ceramic artists. Pablita Abeyta was instrumental in the founding of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian and one of Tony Abeyta’s paintings was the key image for postcards announcing its opening. Tony Abeyta studied at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe and was very inspired by artists who taught there in the late 1960s and 1970s. He later received his BA at Maryland Institute College of the Arts and his MFA at NYU. Abeyta has been a working artist for decades and his work is already in the MFA’s collection in the form of a print.

Voices of the Past is a triptych on board that demonstrates Abeyta’s preference for bold color that evokes the Southwest through its yellows, reds, and turquoise. According to personal correspondences with the current owner, its sculptural elements speak to a time in his practice where he was working more directly on sculpture. In subject matter, it speaks to his father’s work as it likely depicts simplified version of Yé’ii, or beings who are part of the Holy People.. Yé’ii are personified in Dine ceremonies for healing, and they are prayed to and understood as healers, and frequently depicted in pictorial rugs. For much longer, these images were featured in sand paintings. Abeyta frequently depicts spiritual figures in his work, but also is known for his landscape painting, often giving scenery a kind of geometry and sharpness. Voices of the Past is a strong example of the artist’s practice, large in scale and striking in its design.

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