Events

Vernick Auditorium

Since at least the 16th century, the African continent has been home to intricate creations fashioned from copper and brass wire; but the art form known today as telephone wire art has its more recent origins in the wire embellishments on sticks and beer pot covers (izimbenge) first fashioned by Black workers during the Apartheid decades. Employing coated wire that became available with the advent of telephone lines, these unidentified artists produced pieces from salvaged telephone wire, creating desirable items, sought by travelers in search of “Zulu” souvenirs. After Apartheid, the pioneering work of the Bartel Arts Trust and Nedbank Arts and Culture Trust opened the door for an emerging contemporary art form—telephone wire art—that combines innovation and experimentation with traditional methods, motifs, and forms.

David Arment, an art consultant and collector based in Santa Fe, is known in South Africa as the “telephone wire Fundi”  (telephone wire expert). Arment first encountered telephone wire baskets in 1991 when his husband, Jim Rimelspach, took him on a birthday trip to Africa. Three decades later, the collection numbers around 2000 pieces; a number of them—thanks to a generous gift from Arment and Rimelspach—have been accessioned as part of the collection at MOIFA and form the basis of iNgqikithi yokuPhica/ Weaving Meanings: Telephone Wire Art from South Africa which opened in November at the Museum of International Folk Art (MOIFA). The exhibition has at its core the generous gift to MOIFA of the David Arment Southern African Collection.

This presentation will focus on David Arment’s life as a major collector of South African telephone wire art: How he got started, what keeps him going, how extensive the collection is at this point, how he lives with a major collection. He will talk about why he and his husband Jim Rimelspach have gifted part of the collection to a museum while they are still actively building the collection. For the FOFA audience that is passionately interested in the handmade, the traditional arts, innovation in tradition, this glimpse into the mind and heart of a collector is sure to be an enlightening and entertaining event. In preparation, please come to MOIFA and tour the exhibition several times before this event!

Registration is free for FOFA Members. All participants must be current members of FOFA. A Single Membership allows access to one ticket. A Dual Membership allows for two tickets.

For information on joining FOFA, a membership group of the Museum of New Mexico Foundation, please click here.

For questions, please email friendsoffolkart@gmail.com

FREE Admission for New Mexico Residents All Day

Join us to Celebrate  Asian New Year traditions and the Year of the Snake. There will be family-fun for all ages including art activities, performances by Quang Minh Temple Lion Dance Group, and Taiko Drumming by Santa Fe Wadaiko.

11:00- 4:00 pm  All ages art activities

11:00 am “Thread” film short screening and Q&A with Director Terry Ngo

11:30 pm Quang Minh Temple Lion Dance Group Parade

1:00 pm Taiko Drumming performance by Santa Fe Wadaiko 

2:00 pm  Quang Minh Temple Lion Dance Group Parade

3:00 pm  Taiko Drumming performance by Santa Fe Wadaiko 

FREE Family Program! Join us for our monthly Family Mornings at Folk Art program featuring storytime, art activity, and explorations in the galleries. 

February 16 - Spectacular Kites & Celebration!

Following Dates:

• March 16 - Pysanky Ukrainian Easter Eggs
• April 13 - Earth Day for All!

Back Parking Lot

Give your beloved folk art a new home by donating to the fabulous Folk Art Flea.

FOFA is seeking folk art donations of gently used textiles, clothing, ceramics, masks, wood carvings, paintings, sculpture, jewelry, and folk art décor items to be sold at the 2025 Folk Art Flea. If you have folk, tribal, fine art, decorative art, clothing with an ethnic or folk art look, or art books that you are ready to recycle to other art lovers then please join us for our spring donation days.  All folk art donations are tax deductible. Anyone can donate!  If you have friends who are cleaning out, downsizing, or holding an estate sale, please let them know about this special opportunity to make a difference at one of Santa Fe’s most celebrated institutions, the Museum of International Folk Art, by recycling their art items to the Folk Art Flea.

BRING YOUR FOLK ART TO FOFA’S SPRING DONATION DAYS

Saturday, April 5 & 26, and May 10

10 am to 2 pm

Drive to the back of the Museum of International Folk Art parking lot and look for the storage pods.  WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THEN! 

FOFA IS NOW ACCEPTING DONATIONS YEAR-ROUND.

If you are unable to make one of the donation days, call 505.476.1201 to arrange pick-up or drop off information.

Back Parking Lot

Give your beloved folk art a new home by donating to the fabulous Folk Art Flea.

FOFA is seeking folk art donations of gently used textiles, clothing, ceramics, masks, wood carvings, paintings, sculpture, jewelry, and folk art décor items to be sold at the 2025 Folk Art Flea. If you have folk, tribal, fine art, decorative art, clothing with an ethnic or folk art look, or art books that you are ready to recycle to other art lovers then please join us for our spring donation days.  All folk art donations are tax deductible. Anyone can donate!  If you have friends who are cleaning out, downsizing, or holding an estate sale, please let them know about this special opportunity to make a difference at one of Santa Fe’s most celebrated institutions, the Museum of International Folk Art, by recycling their art items to the Folk Art Flea.

BRING YOUR FOLK ART TO FOFA’S SPRING DONATION DAYS

Saturday, April 26 and May 10

10 am to 2 pm

Drive to the back of the Museum of International Folk Art parking lot and look for the storage pods.  WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THEN! 

FOFA IS NOW ACCEPTING DONATIONS YEAR-ROUND.

If you are unable to make one of the donation days, call 505.476.1201 to arrange pick-up or drop off information.

Back Parking Lot

Give your beloved folk art a new home by donating to the fabulous Folk Art Flea.

FOFA is seeking folk art donations of gently used textiles, clothing, ceramics, masks, wood carvings, paintings, sculpture, jewelry, and folk art décor items to be sold at the 2025 Folk Art Flea. If you have folk, tribal, fine art, decorative art, clothing with an ethnic or folk art look, or art books that you are ready to recycle to other art lovers then please join us for our spring donation days.  All folk art donations are tax deductible. Anyone can donate!  If you have friends who are cleaning out, downsizing, or holding an estate sale, please let them know about this special opportunity to make a difference at one of Santa Fe’s most celebrated institutions, the Museum of International Folk Art, by recycling their art items to the Folk Art Flea.

BRING YOUR FOLK ART TO FOFA’S SPRING DONATION DAY

Saturday, May 10, 10 am to 2 pm

Drive to the back of the Museum of International Folk Art parking lot and look for the storage pods.  WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THEN! 

FOFA IS NOW ACCEPTING DONATIONS YEAR-ROUND.

If you are unable to make one of the donation days, call 505.476.1201 to arrange pick-up or drop off information.

Location off-site

 The fabulous Folk Art Flea is back!  Once again, the much beloved and anticipated Flea will be at the Santa Fe County Fairgrounds at 3229 Rodeo Road featuring hundreds of curated folk art pieces from collectors and artists around the world.  The donated art benefits educational programs and exhibitions at the Museum of International Folk Art, through the Museum of New Mexico Foundation, a private nonprofit organization.

Admission is free and members of Friends of Folk Art (FOFA) enjoy early admission to the Flea from 9 to 10 a.m. Public admission is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For information on joining FOFA, a membership group of the Museum of New Mexico Foundation, please click here.

For questions, please email friendsoffolkart@gmail.com