Storyteller: The Photography of Jerry Jacka

Storyteller: The Photography of Jerry Jacka celebrates the life and work of Jerry Jacka through approximately 80,000 photographs gifted to the Heard Museum by his family. The exhibition highlights his renowned photography featured in Arizona Highways Magazine and his intimate portraits of American Indian artists at work. These photographs will be paired with pieces of the artists’ jewelry, pottery, Navajo textiles, Katsina dolls, baskets, and paintings from the Heard Museum’s collection. The exhibition aims to celebrate Jerry Jacka’s major contribution to art and photography, showcasing how he introduced a wide audience to the beauty of Arizona and the talents of major American Indian artists, primarily from the Southwest. Visitors will see artists working in their studios, collecting materials, and firing pottery, providing a comprehensive view of the art-making process. The photographs span several decades, offering glimpses of well-known artists in their younger years, and are paired with biographical information about Jerry and his wife, Lois Essary Jacka, who collaborated with him on popular books about these artists.