First of all let me say that I have the utmost respect for Juan Quezada and the rest of my fellow traditional potters down in Mata Ortiz. What really baffles me is the sheer amount of public interest in their work as compared to that of the Pueblo Indians (yes Indians, Native American is so 1990s). It seems like every time I turn around there’s another Mata Ortiz exhibition or demonstration, everywhere I go I see their pots for sale, at the library I can find easily as many resources on Mata Ortiz pottery as Pueblo Pottery. If you Google it you will over find twice as many results for “Mata Ortiz Pottery” than for “Acoma Pottery” or “Hopi Pottery“!
I don’t begrudge them their success, and I definitely have to hand it to Spencer MacCallum and whoever else is responsible for marketing them. I just don’t understand how they can be more famous or popular than Acoma or Hopi pottery, it just doesn’t make sense to me.
Tags: Mata Ortiz, Pueblo Pottery
Posted in: Pottery
