Spanish Conquistador Don Juan de Oñate is one of the most controversial figures in the history of the southwestern United States. He is also the subject of a controversy surrounding a statue of him that is currently located in El Paso. This statue, and the strong emotion, both positive and negative, that surround it are the subject of a new national PBS documentary, P.O.V. “The Last Conquistador.”
Photo: Audience member Rebecca Riley (Acoma) asks moderator Gene Grant a question during the taping of “The Last Conquistador: A New Mexico in Focus Special.” The panel discussion and audience questions explored the issues surrounding the film about the controversial statue of Spanish Conquistador Don Juan de Oñate in El Paso.
This week, “New Mexico in Focus” will screen the program, hold a panel discussion exploring different sides of the issue, and take questions from the studio audience. This episode airs Friday, July 25 at 7 p.m. and repeats on Sunday, July 27 at 6:30 a.m. A special repeat will follow on Thursday, July 31, at 9 p.m., following the airing of “The Last Conquistador.”
Due to the length of the post-screening response to the film, which ran over one-and-a-half hours, KNME will broadcast an edited version of the program. To see the complete episode, including all taped questions, answers and comments in their entirety, go to www.knme.org/newmexicoinfocus.
Joining panel moderator Gene Grant are regular panelist Margaret Montoya, UNM School of Law, John J. Valadez, one of the filmmakers working on “The Last Conquistador,” artist and activist Maurus Chino from Acoma Pueblo, Christine Zuni Cruz with the UNM School of Law and a member of Isleta Pueblo, and New Mexico State Historian Estevan Rael-Galvez.
Then, co-host David Alire Garcia sits down with another panel to debate the role of public art in our society and asks what is the obligation of art, and specifically public art, to cultural sensitivity? Alire Garcia is joined by Sherri Burr, a professor with the UNM School of Law specializing in art law, City of Albuquerque Public Art Program Manager Sherri Brueggemann, and Chiricahua Apache Artist Bob Haozous.
Co-hosted by Alire Garcia, managing editor of the New Mexico Independent, and Albuquerque Journal columnist Gene Grant, “New Mexico in Focus” looks at social, political, economic, health, education and arts issues and gives them context beyond the "news of the moment."
The producers of “New Mexico in Focus” are Kevin McDonald and Kathy Wimmer. Closed Captioning of “New Mexico in Focus” has been made possible by a gift from Mrs. Elspeth G. Bobbs.
Media Contact: Evy Todd, (505) 277-1218. E-Mail: etodd@knme.org
Posted by bhendrix at July 24, 2008 02:27 PM