Bean Dance: Hopi Kachina Carvings

Art has the power to connect the past and the present, the sacred and the secular, and bring together people of different backgrounds. This exhibition highlights a unique Native American art form–kachina carvings by Hopi artists from northern Arizona–that accomplishes all this at once. These vibrant small sculptures represent kachinas, sacred spirit beings central to traditional Hopi religious beliefs and ongoing cultural practices. At certain times of the year, kachinas come to live among the Hopi and perform ceremonies like the annual Bean Dance to help ensure the wellbeing of the Hopi community and the world.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website.