Hózhǫ́ is a foundational concept in the Navajo world, encompassing ideas of beauty, harmony, balance, order, grace, health, and happiness. It is a state of being, thinking, and acting. Navajo artists embody hózhǫ́ as they weave, and textiles are imbued with and become works of hózhǫ́.
During Native American Heritage Month, Mia is displaying a Navajo twilled saddle blanket in the lobby, a remarkable work of hózhǫ́ made around 1890. For centuries, the Navajo and other Indigenous peoples of the Southwest have been celebrated for the exceptional beauty of their textiles. These intricate creations were widely traded and, particularly after the 1850s, gained popularity among non-Indigenous collectors and tourists, who sought them as cherished souvenirs and artistic treasures.
This month and always, Mia celebrates the artistic legacy of the Indigenous peoples that lived and still live throughout this land. Discover more Native American art in galleries 259 to 261 on the second floor of Mia.