As a young person splitting her time between the Chemehuevi Reservation in rural California and the city of Houston, photographer Cara Romero realized that most non-Natives didn鈥檛 understand what contemporary Indigenous life was like.
鈥淚t really planted a seed very early on for me that I wanted to tell stories of the beauty and the resilience of Native Americans,鈥 says Romero, who celebrates diverse Indigenous and Native American experiences in her exhibition , which is debuting at the .
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Photographer Cara Romero, an enrolled citizen of the Chemehuevi Indian Tribe, discusses Pan没p眉n眉w眉gai (Living Light), during a press preview on Jan. 17 at the Hood Museum of Art. Romero鈥檚 first major solo exhibition spans her work over the past 13 years and includes photos of 911爆料网 students and alumni. (Photo by Sophia Scull 鈥25)
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The photographs Arla Lucia, left, and Jenna, reflect Romero鈥檚 use of photography as a tool of empowerment and one of the show鈥檚 themes鈥擱ematriation: Empowering Indigenous Women. (Photo by Rob Strong 鈥04)
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This installation is among several works themed (Re)Imagining Americana that highlight 鈥渢he importance of people from marginalized communities being able to tell their own stories, of rewriting places where we鈥檝e been absent to be present, to retell some of our stories of Americana,鈥 says Romero. (Photo by Sophia Scull 鈥25)
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Amed茅e Conley-Kapoi 鈥26, left, one of the K膩naka Maoli students with whom Romero collaborated, talks with Sh谩艅d铆铆n Brown 鈥20 at the press preview. Conley-Kapoi is pictured in the exhibit as part of the artist鈥檚 First American Girl series. (Photo by Rob Strong 鈥04)
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Romero discusses the exhibition as staff members, students, and alumni from the Native American Program, members of the press, and other attendees participate in the tour. (Photo by Sophia Scull 鈥25)
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Artist Cara Romero, left, and Jami Powell, associate director of curatorial affairs and curator of Indigenous art, discuss the exhibit of more than 60 works by Romero. The show will run through Aug. 10. (Photo by Sophia Scull 鈥25)
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Visitors at the opening reception for Pan没p眉n眉w眉gai (Living Light) on Jan. 17 take in Ancestral Futures, a gallery of playful work by Romero. (Photo by Rob Strong 鈥04)
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Visitors get a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse at items used on the sets of Romero鈥檚 best-known photographs. (Photo by Sophia Scull 鈥25)
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Visitors explore Pan没p眉n眉w眉gai (Living Light) during an opening reception at the Hood Museum of Art that featured live music and talks by Romero, President Sian Leah Beilock, and Powell, the associate director of curatorial affairs and curator of Indigenous art. (Photo by Rob Strong 鈥04)
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From left, President Sian Leah Beilock, artist Cara Romero, collaborators Teani De Fries 鈥24 and Hope Ushiroda-Garma 鈥24, and Jami Powell, associate director of curatorial affairs and curator of Indigenous art, gather during the opening reception on Jan. 17. (Photo by Rob Strong 鈥04)
