Cliff Fragua (born 1955) is a
Jemez Pueblo sculptor and
stone carver. He is the only
Native American sculptor to have a work installed in
Statuary Hall of the
United States Capitol
The United States Capitol, often called the Capitol or the Capitol Building, is the Seat of government, seat of the United States Congress, the United States Congress, legislative branch of the Federal government of the United States, federal g ...
; it is the second of works representing New Mexico and the 100th and last of these works to be added. The sculpture is of Popé, a great Pueblo Leader during the late 1600s who united the Pueblo people and defeated the Spaniards in what is now New Mexico. Fragua traveled to Blount County, Tennessee to hand select his Tennessee Pink Marble block from the quarry owned and operated by the Tennessee Marble Company.
Early life and education
Born and raised on
Jemez Pueblo, New Mexico, Fragua is an enrolled member of the tribe. He began studying sculpture at the
Institute of American Indian Arts in
Santa Fe. He transferred to the
San Francisco Art Institute. Following this, he attended the Pietrasanta Stone Workshop in
Pietrasanta, Italy, where he studied stone carving.
Career
Fragua is a sculptor and stone carver. His work has been described as "based in Native American themes" and "shows pride for his culture and a deep understanding of the inherent spirituality of the stone."
[Sando, Joe S., ''Nee Hamish: A History of Jemez Pueblo'', Clear Light Publishing, Santa Fe, New Mexico, 2008 p. 184]
He was commissioned by the state of New Mexico to make a
sculpture
Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...
of
Po'pay, leader of the successful
Pueblo Revolt
The Pueblo Revolt of 1680, also known as Popé, Popé's Rebellion or Po'pay's Rebellion, was an uprising of most of the Indigenous Pueblo people against the Spanish Empire, Spanish colonizers in the province of Santa Fe de Nuevo México, larger t ...
in 1680 against the Spanish colonists. In 2005, his 10-foot-tall
Tennessee marble statue was installed in the
National Statuary Hall in the
Capitol Building in Washington D.C., the second representing New Mexico and the 100th and last to be added. He is the only Native American sculptor to have a work in the hall.
Fragua owns and operates Singing Stone Studio in Jemez Pueblo, New Mexico.
References
External links
Singing Stone Studio, artist's portfolio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fragua, Cliff
Native American sculptors
American contemporary sculptors
Pueblo artists
Sculptors from New Mexico
People from Sandoval County, New Mexico
Institute of American Indian Arts alumni
San Francisco Art Institute alumni
Living people
21st-century American sculptors
21st-century Native American artists
1955 births