I Am a Line of Words: Drawing Identity Across Cultures Diné, Pima, and Italian Visual Languages
Exhibition flyer
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I Am a Line of Words Art Exhibit Flyer
Event flyer content: Artist and recent ASU alumnus Mirra Keeto (Diné / Akimel O’odham) developed a series of artworks that depict her relationship as an Indigenous person who studied art history and Italian at Arizona State University. Her pieces pay homage to her family, whose lineage lives in the lines of arts and storytelling and commentary on Italian history. This exhibit combines two complex cultures into unique and beautiful mixed mediums: basketry, books, paintings, prints and charcoal interwoven with punk-rock lyrics."
About the exhibition
About the Venue
This exhibition takes place within the Labriola National American Indian Data Center, itself a significant space dedicated to preserving and sharing Indigenous knowledge and culture. The choice of this venue reflects the importance of honoring Indigenous perspectives while creating space for cross-cultural dialogue.
Land Acknowledgment
Arizona State University sits on the ancestral territories of Indigenous peoples, including the Akimel O'odham (Pima) and Pee Posh (Maricopa) Indian Communities, whose care and keeping of these lands allows this educational institution to exist today.
Artist's Educational Journey
Mirra Ashley Keeto graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Art History and Italian in 2025. This exhibition represents the culmination of close research conducted over her final semesters as an undergraduate, bridging her dual heritage with her passion for Italian Renaissance art and culture.
Cultural Connections
The exhibition explores thematic and stylistic connections across time and geography—from the Duecento (13th century Italy) through the Post-Colonial era, from the Sonoran Desert to the Italian Peninsula. Each artwork serves as a bridge between worlds, inviting viewers to consider how personal and cultural identity is constructed through visual language.
Acknowledgments
This exhibition honors the ancestral lands of the Akimel O'odham (Pima) and Pee Posh (Maricopa) Indian Communities, and celebrates the rich cultural heritage that informs both Indigenous and Italian artistic traditions. Special recognition to the artist's family members whose work and teachings appear throughout this exhibition.