Reservation for Irony: Native Wit and Contemporary Realities
The Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) Santa Fe is proud to present Reservation for Irony: Native Wit and Contemporary Realities, an exhibition curated by Trotta-Bono Contemporary. The exhibition explores how satire and humor serve as powerful tools in contemporary Native art and storytelling.The featured works were created by a leading group of Indigenous artists including Kent Monkman, Cara Romero, Nicholas Galanin, Diego Romero, Tony Abeyta, Geralyn Montano, Nico Williams, Bob Haozous, David Bradley, Glen La Fontaine, Harry Fonseca, TC Cannon, Fritz Scholder, Rick Bartow, Richard Glazer Danay, Kathleen Wall, George Alexander, Del Curfman, among others.
Through painting, sculpture, photography, and installation, these artists traverse the absurd, embrace satire, and employ irony to navigate layered identities, confront colonial narratives, and reflect on social and political realities. They wield wit with precision—carving through inherited myths, historical erasure, and political distortion. Comedy becomes a strategy of resistance and revelation, cutting close to truth when language falters.
The artists in Reservation for Irony implement distinct yet interconnected approaches. Kent Monkman’s flamboyant gender-fluid alter ego, Miss Chief Eagle Testickle, uses camp to subvert art historical tropes, reasserting Indigenous presence with biting theatrical flair. Cara Romero blends traditional iconography with contemporary aesthetics to evoke the persistence and evolution of Indigenous identity. Diego Romero fuses Pueblo ceramic traditions with comic-book satire, creating layered narratives that bridge ancestral knowledge and popular culture. David Bradley’s vivid, densely composed paintings critique the commodification of Native life and the distortions of historical memory. Nicholas Galanin’s contribution, part of his I think it goes like this… series, invokes both the opening line of a joke and a poetic metaphor for the fractured work of cultural reconstruction. Together, their artwork opens a conversation about how humor—a vital tool in Indigenous storytelling, teaching, and resiliance—can serve as an act of resistance and remembering.
Two public programs took place as part of the exhibition: a panel discussion featuring artists Cara Romero, Nicholas Galanin, and Kent Monkman, moderated by artist Tony Abeyta; and a stand-up comedy night hosted by Ricardo Cate with friends. These events further explore how Indigenous humor shapes aesthetic practice and social critique.
Indigenous Humor as Resistance: A Panel Discussion
Friday, August 15, 2025
Institute of Contemporary Art, Santa Fe
Expanding on the themes of the exhibition Reservation for Irony: Native Wit and Contemporary Realities, the public was invited to a timely panel discussion exploring satire, irony, and humor as powerful tools for critique in contemporary Indigenous art.
It was our honor to welcome renowned artists Kent Monkman, Cara Romero, and Nicholas Galanin in conversation with moderator Tony Abeyta. Each of these artists has made a profound impact on contemporary art, using wit and irony to expose political distortion, reclaim Indigenous narratives, and disrupt outdated legacies. This conversation offers a rare opportunity to engage deeply with the role of humor as a form of resistance, resilience, and cultural insight.