Virgil Ortiz Standing Male Tourist Figure [SOLD]

This exceptional pottery figurine was created in 1992 by the globally acclaimed Cochiti Pueblo artist Virgil Ortiz (1969-). Signed under the left foot "Virgil Ortiz Cochiti Pueblo 92," this early work captures a pivotal moment in the artist's career, showcasing both his wicked sense of humor and his commitment to cultural preservation.

The Piece: The Santa Fe Tourist

In this piece, an early-career Virgil Ortiz presents a brilliantly satirical portrait of a typical Santa Fe tourist: a "well-fed" gentleman sporting dark sunglasses, a baseball cap, and a camera slung around his neck. This caricature aligns beautifully with the mid-to-late 20th-century figurative style popularized by other Cochiti artists of the era, most notably Louis and Virginia Naranjo.

The "Mono" Tradition: Social Commentary in Clay

While viewers often mistake these figures as entirely modern innovations, they are actually rooted in a century-old tradition of Indigenous satire. In the late 1800s, Cochiti potters began creating "Monos" — figurative effigies made to mimic and mock the outsiders entering their world, including local merchants, bartenders, tourists, and even Franciscan friars. In his book Virgil Ortiz: Revolution, Ortiz explains his role not as a radical modernist, but as a historic revivalist:

"One of my main inspirations is to keep the monos figurative tradition alive... These figures were called 'Monos,' which sort of means 'to mimic' or 'a monkey,' because of their form. They were really about being creative and documenting social commentary of the times... I always get people who say, 'You are so innovative.' It's not me being innovative. I'm just a revivalist of the monos tradition."

Ortiz notes that because much of this early figurative pottery was systematically destroyed by Spanish conquistadors and priests, his lifelong mission has been to resurrect these forms and educate the public on their historic relevance.

The Evolution of an Artist

Since creating this tourist figurine in 1992, Ortiz has expanded his artistic horizon exponentially. Today, he is a world-renowned potter, jeweler, filmmaker, and fashion designer. While his early work focused on lighthearted social commentary, his mature style has evolved into a visionary, sci-fi reimagining of the Pueblo Revolt of 1680.

A Lineage of Clay and Wild Spinach

Virgil's artistic journey began at age six under the mentorship of his legendary mother, Seferina Ortiz. In a touching tribute to this lineage, Virgil still mixes small amounts of his late mother's wild spinach (guaco) pigment into his own black paint, a sacred continuum he expects future generations of his family to carry on.

Condition: very good condition

Provenance: this Virgil Ortiz Standing Male Tourist Figure is from the collection of a Santa Fe resident

Recommended Reading: Virgil Ortiz Revolution by Charles S. King, Museum of New Mexico Press, Santa Fe, 2021

TAGS: traditional pottery vessels, jewelry, Seferina Ortiz, Cochiti Pueblo, figurative pottery, Virgil Ortiz