- Half Indian/Half Mexican
Frame (.A): 62 1/4 × 50 3/8 × 2 1/2 in. (158.1 × 128 × 6.4 cm)
Frame (.B): 62 1/4 × 50 3/8 × 2 1/2 in. (158.1 × 128 × 6.4 cm)
Frame (.C): 62 1/4 × 50 3/8 × 2 1/2 in. (158.1 × 128 × 6.4 cm)
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James Luna wielded photography like a performance, producing works that force the viewer to confront his body and presence in the gallery. In Half Indian/Half Mexican, Luna styled halves of his head differently, appearing stereotypically Mexican on one side and Native American on the other, each a reference to his heritage. The tongue-in-cheek work playfully twists staid notions of identity. Luna noted, “I’m half many things. I’m half happy/I’m half angry. I’m half educated/I’m half ignorant. I’m half giving/I’m half selfish: A self is made up of many things. I do not have to be anything for anybody but myself.”
ProvenanceThe artist, d. 2018; Estate of the artist, 2018; [Garth Greenan Gallery, New York]; purchased by MFAH, 2025.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks
Printed on applied label, frame verso, .B: Garth Greenan Gallery [address] // // James Luna // Half Indian/Half Mexican, 1991 // Silver gelatin print // 60 x 144 inches // 152.4 x 365.8 cm // AP 2, Artist’s Proof 2/2 // Signed and dated // (Inv# LUNPP002.AP.AP2) Center panel // Estate of James Luna
Printed on applied label, frame verso, .C: Garth Greenan Gallery [address] // // James Luna // Half Indian/Half Mexican, 1991 // Silver gelatin print // 60 x 144 inches // 152.4 x 365.8 cm // AP 2, Artist’s Proof 2/2 // Signed and dated // (Inv# LUNPP002.AP.AP2) Right panel // Estate of James Luna
Cataloguing data may change with further research.
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