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Jaque Fragua is an artist from Jemez Pueblo, New Mexico, whose work features visions drawn from traditional Native American ceramics, blankets, tattoo designs, and more. Fragua authentically repurposes his culture’s iconography, subverting the overconsumption of misappropriated Native American design and identity.
“Art has always been a struggle for me. I relate this struggle to the angst of my identity. My identity is not just rooted in Native American culture. Instead, I find myself an amalgam of DNAs, historical trauma, boarding schools, civil rights, Alcatraz, American dreams, urbanization, reservation tragedy, creative triumph, war stories, fist fights, jail time, racial profiling, mixed opinions, hiphop, punk, rock & roll, jazz, graffiti, tattoos, dark brown skin, long black hair, spiritual wisdom, traditional knowledge, direct action, and painting…”
Jaque created this public art mural with Dose (@thedoseone) in so-called Albuquerque, New Mexico on Pueblos land. Fragua believes it is an imperative time to focus on how we can create a sustainable way of existence that doesn’t exploit the earth nor the living beings who reside on it. In Jaque’s words, “the faster we shift the priority from financial excess to environmental/community health, the more we can protect the future for generations to come.”
Jaque worked with a local business to paint on their building’s exterior wall. He utilizes PPE on every installation, up to OSHA standards.
The “How Art Changes the World” Series: Greenpeace reached out to frontline artists in our community to create works of art that represent the power of solidarity, community resistance, and community organizing in moments of crisis. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began – and even more so since the Movement for Black Lives has so strongly embedded itself into the consciousness in the U.S. – resistance is taking on new forms and people are acting in solidarity in new ways and with new allies. However, the need to come together, lift up the voices of those affected the most, and organize against our exploitative and extractive systems, is nothing new.
With this in mind, we invited proposals for public art pieces at any scale that highlight the various forms of resistance in the public space happening in this moment. The goal: to show everyone invested in the fight for social and environmental justice that they’re not alone in demanding a good life and health for all.
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