Jerry Jacka photography exhibit showcases iconic artists, culture

The Heard Museum is presenting “Storyteller: The Photography of Jerry Jacka,” an original exhibition featuring Jacka’s portraits of iconic American Indian artists paired with examples of their artwork from the museum’s collection.

Jacka’s award-winning photography has profoundly influenced how generations of people think and feel about the people and landscapes of the American Southwest. The exhibition includes images from his award-winning contributions to “Arizona Highways” magazine.

Ann Marshall, curator at the Heard Museum, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss the exhibition.

“Jerry Jacka is a photographer who introduced so many people to Arizona and Arizona Native artists and their art,” Marshall said.

The photographer passed away in 2017. His family donated Jacka’s lifetime work of 133,000 images that comprise the exhibition.

Experience images of artists, primarily from the American Southwest, engaged in a range of activities related to traditional cultural practices including weaving, pottery, kachina-carving and jewelry making.

For example, view Annie Antone’s work. An award-winning Tohono O’odham basket weaver, Antone creates a woven basket called “The Last Dance.” She has her bleached, unbleached yucca and martinia laid out ready to become the basket. The basket shows people dancing, which refers to the people in her community.