Who Are You?
Biography
Jaque Fragua is a contemporary Native American artist known for his powerful and thought-provoking works. He is from the Pueblo of Jemez and grew up in New Mexico. Fragua's art often addresses themes of identity, culture, history, and activism, particularly focusing on issues affecting Indigenous communities in the United States. His work spans various mediums including painting, sculpture, installation, and public art. Fragua is recognized for his ability to blend traditional Indigenous aesthetics with contemporary artistic practices, creating pieces that resonate with both Indigenous and non-Indigenous audiences. Through his art, Fragua aims to challenge stereotypes, raise awareness about Indigenous issues, and celebrate the resilience and cultural richness of Native peoples.
Statement
“Art has always been a struggle for me. I relate this struggle to the angst of my identity. My identity is not just rooted in Native American culture. Instead, I find myself an amalgam of DNAs, historical trauma, boarding schools, civil rights, Alcatraz, American dreams, urbanization, reservation tragedy, creative triumph, war stories, fist fights, jail time, racial profiling, mixed opinions, hiphop, punk, rock & roll, jazz, graffiti, tattoos, dark brown skin, long black hair, spiritual wisdom, traditional knowledge, direct action, and painting…
Education
Institute of American Indian Arts, Santa Fe, NM 2005-2007, Visual Communications/Film/Creative Writing
Selected Art Exhibitions: Group & Individual
2023 Bates College Museum of Art, Lewiston, ME, Exploding Native Inevitable
2023 STRAAT Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Indigenous Americans: Post Colonial Expressions
2021 Siete Cuatro Siete, Medellin, Colombia, Key To Crypto
2021 Chandran Gallery, San Francisco, CA, Ginga 2019 SOUL Center, Genova, Italy, Paesaggi Interiori
2019 These Days, Los Angeles, CA, GUN SHOW 2017 MACLA, San Jose, CA, Notes On Democracy
2016 The New School, New York, NY, #NODAPL 2016 San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, When I Remember, I See Red
2016 Form & Concept, Santa Fe, NM, Made In The Desert
2016 New Image Art, Los Angeles, CA, WOW POW 2016 Luggage Store Gallery, San Francisco, CA, Gentrifried
2015 University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, Interwoven: Indigenous Contemporary
2015 Empire Seven Studios, San Jose, CA, Archetype$
2015 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, Necessary Force: Art In The Police State
2014 CONCEPT Art Fair, Miami, FL, In The Round: Featuring Ai Weiwei
2014 GF Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM, Deconstructing Coyote 2014 Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, OR, Native + Portland
2014 South Bay Contemporary, Los Angeles, CA, NATIVE
2014 Columbia University, New York, NY, Art & Activism: Public Art & the Native Diaspora
2013 ZENDO, Albuquerque, NM, TOUGH SOUL
2013 1Spot Gallery, Phoenix, AZ, #NATIVEAMERICA
2010 Center for Contemporary Arts, Santa Fe, NM, RUBBISH
Clientele
VICE
Paypal
AutoCamp
Jungmaven
Stella Artois
Larry Smith Tokyo
City of Toronto
4Culture, Seattle
City of Albuquerque
Anchorage Museum
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Regional Arts & Culture Council, Portland
Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose
BOZAR Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels
Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian