The Artifact Piece

1987/1990

James Luna

Associated Names
James Luna

Artist, Luiseño, Puyukitchum, Ipai, and Mexican American, 1950 - 2018

The image depicts an installation with a human lying in a display case. The person in the case is a man, and he is positioned on his back, his head to the left and his legs extended to the right, with his arms at his sides. The man is naked except for an off-white cloth that has been wrapped around his hips and upper thighs, and his eyes are closed. He has light reddish-brown skin and long black hair that lies on the ground by his head. The surface he lies on is the color of sand. The display case around him is made of wood planks, and it is surrounded by informational plaques with white text on black backgrounds. One plaque is centered on the light gray wall behind the case.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    wood, metal, and Plexiglas vitrines, sand, text panels, and artist's possessions

  • Credit Line

    Patrons' Permanent Fund

  • Dimensions

    Installation dimensions variable

  • Accession Number

    2021.84.1

  • Copyright

    © Estate of James Luna


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Estate of the artist; (Garth Greenan Gallery, New York); purchased 2021 by NGA.

Associated Names

Bibliography

2014

  • Hess, Janet Berry. The Art of Richard Mayhew: A Critical Analysis with Interviews. Jefferson, North Carolina, 2014: 69-70.

2022

  • Donovan, Molly. "Gifts & Acquisitions." Art for the Nation no. 65 (Spring 2022): 16-17, repro.


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