The Dairy Arts Center is happy to announce the dedication of a new mural in acknowledgment and recognition of the culture and history of Boulder’s Indigenous people on Saturday, October 12th at 10AM at the Dairy Arts Center.
In partnership with StreetWise Boulder and the City of Boulder the Dairy Arts Center will be unveiling a new mural on the exterior of the building, created by artist LMNOPI. The mural is in honor of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and depicts the likeness of local artist, dancer and actress Sarah Ortegon. In the background, LMNOPI has painstakingly rendered a topographical map of the Wind River Indian Reservation.
LMNOPI is a community organizer, humanitarian worker & a civilly disobedient activist over the last four decades; participating in movements from Earth First to Occupy Wall Street, Standing Rock and the Climate Justice Movement. She is a traditionally trained painter, muralist & printmaker dedicated to street art activism.
Sarah Ortegon was born in Denver, Colorado. She is number 10 in a family of 12 kids. Ortegon is enrolled Eastern Shoshone and also of Northern Arapaho decent. In 2013, Ortegon graduated from Metropolitan State University of Denver with a BFA and was also crowned Miss Native American, USA. As a member of the National Outdoor Leadership School she has led various groups through wilderness areas, including Wind River reservation.
The dedication of the mural kicks off a weekend of activities throughout Boulder celebrating Indigenous People’s Day and marks the beginning of a series of future partnerships and collaborations between the Dairy Arts Center and various indigenous communities and artists that will unfold over the coming years. Future plans include a collaborative partnership with the CU Upward Bound Program in the summer of 2020 and a permanent outdoor commemorative sculpture to be installed in the fall of 2020.
“At the heart of the Dairy’s mission is the intent to connect a dynamic and diverse artistic community. Establishing meaningful collaborative relationships with the Indigenous community is long overdue and we are excited to be embarking on this new chapter,” states Melissa Fathman, the Dairy’s executive director.
Upward Bound is a Federal TRIO Program designed to motivate and support students from disadvantaged backgrounds, supplementing their existing education and preparing them for academic success at all educational levels. Upward Bound provides opportunities for students to prepare for college entrance, succeed in pre-college performance and ultimately achieve success in higher education pursuits.
During the six week 2020 summer session with Upward Bound, the Dairy will host a series of Indigenous films and a student mural project.
The CU Upward Bound (CUUB) program director, Tanaya Winder states, “We are excited to partner with the Dairy Arts Center on providing more programming featuring Indigenous artists. Every year we bring approximately 90-103 Indigenous students to the CU Boulder campus and I’m so grateful for the Dairy for opening up its space and walls for Indigenous murals and films that will hopefully help our students feel more seen.”
In support of plans for a permanent sculpture, the Dairy’s Visual Arts department recently opened a call for artist submissions. The intent of this commission is to permanently acknowledge and remind visitors that the Dairy sits upon the lands in the territories of the Ute, Cheyenne, and Arapaho peoples. The call is open November 1-March 1, 2020.
On Saturday, October 12th at 10 am the Dairy will host a formal dedication of the mural with Sarah Ortegon. The dedication will take place outside, in front of the mural, located on the west-facing wall in the parking lot. Light fare and refreshments will be available.