Les Namingha has, over the years, created exciting variations in his pottery with new painting and technical styles. This jar is entitled, “Meta Glyph”.  Les said of this piece:

“Titled “Meta Glyph”.  The main image is two warrior/katsina figures.  They are surrounded by symbols.  And also with zoomorphic images.  The idea behind the painting was to create a design that incorporated pueblo petroglyphs.  I wanted to use space and color ideas in how I saw it in works by Miro and Gottlieb.  They were using imagery from Native American sources in their paintings.  I wanted to use simplistic symbols.  I wanted to use symbols that I was familiar with so the fragments that surround the figures.  They come from Hopi and Pueblo pottery.  The symbols are everything from birds and moths to the sun and stars.    I wanted to have the piece be lively and fun but also show the figures as powerful and that they were in control of the chaos of elements.  I used the word, “meta” in the title, from social media.  It alludes to how it is used in pop culture but for me, in the title, it means “beyond”.  It is moving beyond the original rock art paintings to something new and different.  I hope the viewer sees everything from petroglyphs to Pop culture.  The stripes on the neck are a reference to Koshari Clowns.”

The shape is one that Les often uses on his larger pieces.  The designs are complex and a strong variation in his style.  It’s always exciting to follow the journey Les creates in his pottery and the thought process.  The piece is signed on the bottom, “Les Namingha”.