“Students need more space for Art in the Raw, more space for art work, and to open the studios up to the public to see where artists work, and to be able to have open studios on campus.”

—Al Hubbard, IAIA Student

Santa Fe - –“Art in the Raw is a tradition, and important for IAIA students and its community,” says Al Hubbard (Northern Arapaho/Diné), a 2-D major at the Institute of American Indian Arts. “Not only does Art in the Raw give an opportunity to show finished art work but also works in progress,” he adds.

Art in the Raw is a totally free-expression, in-house art show for IAIA students and the community. Every semester, it is held in the recreation room of Student Life Housing on the IAIA campus and is an all-day event. Artwork is priced between $50-$800. At the 2003 Art in the Raw show in which Hubbard participated, his linoleum-cut prints, titled “Tribe with Bleach,” sold out and his 11 x 14 painting titled “Wormhole” was also sold.
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The Art in the Raw originally started at IAIA’s old campus site at the College of Santa Fe. It was an idea conceived by IAIA students as collaboration between CSF and IAIA. From 1996 through 1998, Art in the Raw was a way for students to express and show their art. When IAIA moved to its new campus, Art in the Raw was abandoned for a brief time.

Re-Adopt Open Studios

According to Hubbard, the earlier version of Art in the Raw at the old IAIA campus was called Open Studios. He felt the new IAIA community should re-adopt the idea of Open Studios, which allowed the community to view student artwork within the actual space of a studio.

“Students need more space for Art in the Raw, more space for art work, and to open the studios up to the public to see where artists work, and to be able to have open studios on campus,” he says.

In 2002, Art in the Raw was re-introduced by Kristina Richer, Housing Director. “It is an experience for students to showcase their art work without it being gallery ready,” says Richer. “It gives the students an opportunity to see what other students are creating and to participate as art students in an art school.”

A View of Art From Fresh Eyes

Art in the Raw is an event rally for IAIA students to show their work in an atmosphere on campus which takes place outside the academic area or a museum, according to Jim Rivera, a staff member in the Placement Office at IAIA. The purpose of Art in the Raw is to bring together the IAIA community into a pleasant and relaxed environment to view and dialogue about student art work.

“The show is a contemporary art show, and the work is recent and fresh. It is a view from fresh eyes of today by IAIA students. It is their take on art,” says Rivera.

Other people involved with Art in the Raw event are museum studies students, resident advisors, the Associated Student Government, and student life staff at IAIA.

The Art in the Raw is a special event for IAIA students and the community and continues to promote art for today and the future.

“The show is a contemporary art show, and the work is recent and fresh.”

—Jim Rivera, IAIA Placement Officer

Copyright © IAIA CHRONICLE 2004