Ring Master
- Virgil Ortiz, Cochiti, American, 1969-
- Born: Cochiti pueblo
- Work Locations: Cochiti pueblo
- Active Dates: 1975- present
Virgil Ortiz (Cochiti), Ring Master, 2011. Clay, slip, and wild spinach paint; 23 x 14½ x 6½ in. Gift from Vicki and Kent Logan to the Collection of the Denver Art Museum, 2016.122. Photography by and courtesy of Virgil Oritz
The Vertigo series was inspired by a photograph of Cochiti clay figures taken in the late 1800s. Ortiz recognized the connection between the figures he had been making and those made by his ancestors. He wanted to honor traditional aspects of his pueblo’s art as “a way of asking those potters before me to keep me going in the right direction and help me keep the art alive.” Pueblo history and knowledge of ancestral ways are recurring themes in Ortiz’s work and are integral to his vision.
“I studied the historic pieces to understand the lost techniques of making the hands, eyes, and feet. I was also inspired by the large size of the old figures and their use for social criticism.”
—Virgil Ortiz
Photo credit: Virgil Ortiz
Some images in our online collection are at thumbnail size, in accordance with AAMD guidelines, because they are protected by copyright. The Denver Art Museum respects the rights of artists or their representatives who retain the copyright to their work. Other images represent the best photography available and should be used as reference images only. Please complete the Image Rights Request form if you want to request a high resolution image.
