There is perhaps no one to whom the word “Latinx” applies more than Martine Gutierrez. Last year, the transgender California-born artist of Latin and Native American descent caused a sensation in New York with Indigenous Woman, an installation in the form of a 146-page magazine (complete with fake ads) showcasing Irving Penn-like high-fashion photographs that she took of herself in various costumes and roles. This year, she turns 30 and is the subject of the Modern’s new Focus exhibition.
A selection of photographs from Indigenous Woman will be on display here, along with some video pieces that she created. Among the photographs are pictures of her as various Aztec and Mayan gods, which the Spaniards classed as “demons” after their conquest of the Americas. In her rendition, these ancient deities come startlingly to life as present-day fashion icons, an expression of her melding of male and female, old and new, Western and indigenous, and so many other categories. This winter, the Modern is the place to take in a hot new artist who has carved out a unique place for herself in the art world.
Focus runs Fri thru Jan 12 at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, 3200 Darnell St, FW. Admission is $10-16. Call 817-738-9215.
