The National Museum of the American Indian’s George Gustav Heye Center in New York celebrates its 20th anniversary with the opening of “Glittering World: Navajo Jewelry of the Yazzie Family” Thursday, Nov. 13.
“Glittering World” is the museum’s first exhibition to explore the intersection of art and commerce through Navajo jewelry making and features more than 300 examples of contemporary jewelry made by members of the Yazzie family of Gallup, N.M.
Left to right: Raymond C. Yazzie and Lee A. Yazzie in front of their grandparents' Hogan, originally built in the 1890s and where their mother was born, near Gallup, New Mexico. 2008.
Raymond C. Yazzie, 2005. Silver inlaid with coral, turquoise, lapis lazuli, 14-karat gold accents. 2 3/8 x 1 in. Collection of Mark and Martha Alexander.
Photographer: Michael S. Waddell
Sam Franks
Glittering World: Coral Bracelet
Raymond C. Yazzie, 2012. Coral with accents of opal, sugilite, lapis lazuli, Orvil Jack turquoise, 14-karat gold, silver. Width, 1 1/2 in. Collection of Leota and Phil Knight
Photographer: Sam Franks
Ernest Amoroso
Glittering World: Lapis Bracelet
Lee A. Yazzie, 1984. Lapis lazuli, 18-karat gold. National Museum of the American Indian, 25/6257.
Photographer: Ernest Amoroso
Phil Bell
Glittering World: Nugget Necklace
Raymond C. Yazzie, 2009. Fossilized Lone Mountain turquoise, lapis lazuli, coral, sugilite, opal, 14-karat gold. Overall length, 31 in. Collection of Susan Heyneman.