Cara Romero Photography

03/05/2025

Diego and I are pleased to announce a two-person exhibition at the “Cara & Diego Romero: Tales of Futures Past.” This nationally traveling exhibition brings together my photography and my husband’s work showcasing 18 of his beautiful pottery pieces and lithographs alongside 20 of my photographs, including selections from my Indigenous Futurism series.

The exhibition will be on display from March 8 to June 8, 2025, and will travel to Crocker Art Museum and Albuquerque Museum in the summer of 2026. It explores the intersection of our work, addressing themes of colonialism, resilience, and social and environmental justice.

We invite you to join us for the opening celebration on Thursday, March 6, at 6:30 p.m., where Diego and I will be in conversation with Vanessa Sage, Figge’s senior co-curator. The evening begins with a reception at 5 p.m., followed by our discussion. Admission is free.

This is a deeply meaningful exhibition for both of us, and we look forward to sharing it with you. Stand by for a catalog too!

02/20/2025

Had the special privilege to work with .a.nelson on this photo essay for And the cast from Darkwinds for their new season. Beautiful Native designer couture from and Read about everyone’s work in the article and I am looking forward to seeing the new season 💘

02/10/2025

🌟 Watch and listen as Hall Gallery transforms into an immersive wonderland where you can reflect on how food and ancestral knowledge shape our shared future. 🌽

"Cara Romero: Panûpünüwügai (Living Light)" is on view through August 10, 2025.

🎧 Explore this stunning exhibition with our free audio tour—available at the Welcome Desk!

02/05/2025

Installation for the Ancestral Futures Gallery Wing at the Hood Museum for my solo exhibition, Panûpünüwügai (Living Light).

Grateful for the incredible team who brought this vision to life with knowledge, skill, and care. The Ancestral Futures Gallery highlights work from an ongoing series that amplifies Indigenous voices and honors ancestral knowledge as it moves forward in time.

A huge thank you to .jami The team over at and .k.artz for all their support.

02/05/2025

Opening Feb 14th. I’m so thankful to Forge for lending Sand & Stone to be included in Smoke in our Hair 💘 Thank you Shandiin Brown for curating this 🤍

“Smoke in Our Hair: Native Memory and Unsettled Time” opens on Friday, February 14!

This exhibition explores the nuanced layering of past, present, and future in works by 22 artists—Native American, Alaska Native, First Nations, and Métis—who carry forward the artistic lineages of their ancestors while simultaneously sparking new visions of the future.

In this piece, artist Cara Romero (Chemehuevi) photographed community member Sheridan Silversmith (Chemehuevi and Diné) cradled in the cracked desert earth. Only her head, hair, and clasped hands are visible; the rest of her body remains hidden.

Silversmith’s direct gaze prompts the question: Is she returning to the earth, or resurfacing from it? Her pose evokes themes of emergence and return, offering a meditation on the fluid relationship between past and present.

Learn more at hrm.org/smoke

Cara Romero Photography

Curated by independent curator Sháńdíín Brown (Diné).

The works in this exhibition are drawn from the collections of Art Bridges, Forge Project, and the Gochman Collection

Exhibitions are made possible by assistance provided by Westchester County Government

Lead support for this exhibition is generously provided by Becky Gochman and Art Bridges.

This exhibition is generously sponsored by the The City of Yonkers, Mayor Mike Spano

Additional support is provided by Larry and Jill Feldman, and Conrad and Sarah Meyer. Public programs are supported in part by the Anita K. Hersh Philanthropic Foundation and Ellen Kozak.

This exhibition was created in collaboration with Moonoka Begay (Ndéé + Diné), who also served as curatorial research assistant, and Zach Feuer.

Image: Cara Romero (Chemehuevi, b. 1977). Based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. “Sand & Stone,” 2020. Photograph. Forge Project Collection, traditional lands of the Moh-He-Con-Nuck.

01/29/2025

For the Ancestral Futures gallery at Panûpünüwügai (Living Light) exhibit at the Hood Museum, we worked to create more works centering on the importance of bringing the very old with us into the future. This image “Devil’s Claw No.1” combines the basket weaving material central to Chemehuevi culture into a futuristic space with an anthropomorphic female deity that carries the devil’s claw properties. This combination of plants and humans shows up often in Chemehuevi mythos, although this character is fictional and played by the one and only Naomi Whitehorse. The ball of devil’s claw hooked together is colloquially called a “hat."

Devil’s claw, the plant that inspired this photograph, grows in the
desert regions of the southwest and is highly drought tolerant. The sprawling plants initially grow delicate pink flowers that turn into hook-shaped green pods. As the pods dry, they split into dark brown woody halves in the shape of claws. Devil’s claw is most well known for its deep brown color that is often used to create designs in Chemehuevi and other basket weaving. These edible seeds also have medicinal purposes for treating headaches. (They taste a little like popcorn to me).

It’s always a blessing to work and play on set with Leah Mata-Fragua , Povi Romero .monster, Bonny Melendez , and Erika Knecht .k.artz

01/25/2025

An unforgettable moment! Last week, we opened my first major solo exhibition, Panûpünüwügai (Living Light), at the Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth.
This exhibition is a celebration of Native American and Indigenous experiences, told through layered and complex images that honor resilience, beauty, and diversity. Seeing my work displayed in such a prestigious space has been humbling and deeply rewarding.
I’m incredibly grateful to the Hood Museum team for their dedication and vision, and to all of you family, friends, and supporters who have encouraged me over the years. Your belief in my work has made this possible.
If you're near Dartmouth, stop by and explore the show. You can also learn more here: https://hoodmuseum.dartmouth.edu/explore/exhibitions/cara-romero
I’d love to hear your thoughts if you visit! ...
Most photos by Rob Strong.

01/23/2025

"Cara Romero: Panûpünüwügai" made its debut at the Hood Museum, and includes photos of Indigenous Dartmouth students.

01/23/2025

The Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth opened its landmark exhibition Cara Romero: Panûpünüwügai (Living Light), the first major solo museum exhibition of

01/23/2025

01/20/2025

A new exhibit at the Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth College aims to show Native Americans in a new light. Our Adam Sullivan gives you a look inside.

01/18/2025

TONIGHT! “Cara Romero: Panûpünüwügai (Living Light)” opens at 5:00 pm. Join us from 5:00 to 6:30 pm, for the exhibition opening reception. The event is FREE and open to all.

01/18/2025

01/17/2025

Today is the day my first major solo museum show opens at the Hood Museum of Art. Jami Powell and I just finished the press preview and so now we’re all excited to unveil new works, photos of the installations and all the things!

Many thanks to Chadd at Forbes for this amazing article to Jami Powell and all the staff for making this possible.

When Cara Romero (b. 1977) found herself unable to adequately communicate in words her indigenous experience in America, she turned to another language: photography.

01/14/2025

01/13/2025

An intimate look at the work of Native American fine art photographer Cara Romero.