A documentary film on a world-renown Indigenous fashion designer with deep roots in Scottsdale will debut next month here.

“ART is Culture, Culture is ART,” directed by the Indigenous filmmaker Nathaniel Fuentes, examines the life and impact of Lloyd Kiva New.

A debut screening of the film and a discussion will be held 5:30-7:30 p.m. Dec. 7 at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, followed the same day by an by an exclusive Indigenous Fashion Revue Showcase 7:30-10 p.m. at the Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West. 

The fashion showcase, featuring the Sky Eagle Collection and Choke Cherry Creek Designs, will include original Lloyd Kiva New fashions from the private Robert Black Collection.

“Endowed with creativity and charisma and profoundly connected to his cultural heritage, Lloyd Kiva New gave this world a fresh perspective on Indigenous art, the power of education, and the range of potential each of us possesses,” Scottsdale historian Joan Fedula said.

“His special gift to Scottsdale was its reputation as an eclectic center for arts, crafts, and fashion. Although he moved on to establish national Indian arts organizations and mentor hundreds of promising Native American artists, he left an indelible mark on Scottsdale through his 20 stellar years here,” she said.

“The worlds of contemporary art, fashion and education lost a remarkable creative spirit and friend when he died in 2002,” Fedula added.

The film chronicles the life and legacy of the pioneering Indigenous fashion designer and entrepreneur, who founded the iconic “Kiva” brand of Kiva bags, leather accessories, and silk-screened fashions for men and women. 

Born in Fairland, Oklahoma, in 1916, New’s journey from a small ranch town to international recognition transformed how art is experienced through color and fashion.

 A graduate of the Chicago Institute of Art, New served as an art instructor at the Phoenix Indian School in the late 1930s. 

His designs blended American Indian patterns, colors, and styles and recognized Native fashion designers, contributing to Scottsdale’s reputation as a hub for post-World War II haute couture and experiential retail.  

His Kiva Craft Center off Scottsdale’s Fifth Avenue opened in 1956 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places last year.

New co-founded the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in 1962 in Santa Fe, an institution aimed at fostering pride in Indigenous heritage and enhancing economic opportunities for Native American students. 

 Fuentes delves into New’s life, influences, and contributions to contemporary Native American art, style, and entrepreneurship. 

An alumnus of IAIA, he has won critical acclaim for the documentary. It won the Visionary Film Award at the 2023 Santa Fe Film Festival and is being selected for prestigious festivals, including the Red Nation International Film Festival in Los Angeles.

Guests at the Western Spirit event will be able to take home artwork and styles by Indigenous designers and artists during the Silent Auction.

The screening and VIP fashion showcase are made possible by He Kha Productions (H/K Production), owned and led by  Fuentes and a leading Indigenous media entertainment service business based in Santa Clara Pueblo, New Mexico, that is committed to promoting Indigenous culture and storytelling. 

The event is also sponsored by organizations promoting Indigenous communities, arts, and culture. 

Tickets: scottsdaleperformingarts.org/event/art-is-culture-culture-is-art