Emmi Whitehorse

Whitehorse grew up on the open land northeast of Gallup, New Mexico in a family where only the Navajo language was spoken.

Through herding sheep and exploring nearby ruins, she developed an interest in light affects our perception of the environment--how clouds darken canyons, sunlight illuminates small flora and fauna, and the horizon line dissolves with dusk.

"[1] In 1980, Whitehorse earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in painting from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque (UNM).

[7] Her paintings are usually oil on paper, mounted on canvas, such as Movement, in the collection of the Honolulu Museum of Art.

[9] Press coverage of the 2024 Venice Biennale, including the New York Times review, especially focused on Whitehorse and her prominent role in the exhibition.

[10][9] 2024: Venice Biennale, Central Exhibition, "Foreigners Everywhere"[11] 2021: Shared Ideologies at the Muscarelle Museum of Art in Williamsburg, VA.[12] 2019: Hearts of Our People: Native Women Artists.

Autry Museum of the American West, Los Angeles, CA[17] 2008: Common Ground: Art in New Mexico.

Gallery, NY, NY The Brunnier Gallery, Iowa State University, Dubuque, IA Grey Canyon Group, The Heard Museum, Phoenix, AZ Works on Paper, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (traveling show) 1980: Grey Canyon Group, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND The Southern Plains Museum, Anadarko, OK The Sioux Land Heritage Museum, Sioux Falls, SD Galleria de Cavalina, Venice, Italy Wheelwright Museum, Santa Fe, NM (traveling show) 1979: Grey Canyon Group, Gallery Upstairs, Berkeley, CA Downtown Center for the Arts, Albuquerque, NM (traveling show) Zorn, Elayne L. Encyclopedia of Native American Artists.