March 16, 2026
Eugene Tapahe: Strength In Unity, Tetons National Park, the native land of the Shoshone, Bannock, Gros Ventre, and Nez Perce People, 2021
SANTA FE, NM.- Monroe Gallery of Photography announced a special exhibition of photographs from Eugene Tapahe’s acclaimed Art Heals: The Jingle Dress Project at the second edition of Scottsdale Art Week March 19-22, 2026. Monroe Gallery will be located in booth G2 and Eugene Tapahe will be present throughout the fair.
The four-day International Art Fair returns to WestWorld of Scottsdale this spring with 120 galleries from 15 Countries.
Art Heals: The Jingle Dress Project originated from a dream Tapahe had during the COVID-19 pandemic, inspiring him to unite the land and people through the healing power of the Ojibwe jingle dress dance during uncertain times of illness and social differences. Since then, Tapahe has traveled thousands of miles documenting family members and friends dancing the healing honor dance in National Parks and Monuments, honoring the places where their ancestors once lived. Tapahe describes the images as “incredibly powerful and spiritual. Looking at them, I still can't believe I took these photographs. I believe this project is larger than myself, and I hope that when people view them, they feel the same way – that we are all blessed to be in the presence of such beauty.”
The Jingle Dress Project has brought healing to Tapahe’s family, friends, and ancestors and garnered national and international recognition for its unifying effect on communities. The images have raised awareness of many Native American issues, such as land acknowledgment, women’s rights, and, most importantly, the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW).
During the project, Tapahe discovered one overarching metaphor. “I put my hand on one of the jingles and I shook it. That one jingle didn’t make any sound,” he said. “But together, they have the power to heal. As human beings, if we are able to unite ourselves and our prayers and make a beautiful sound as the jingle dress does, we could be powerful.”
Eugene Tapahe is a contemporary artist inspired by his Diné (Navajo) traditions and modern experiences. He is originally from Window Rock, Arizona. Tapahe has loved photography since the first time he picked up a camera, and realized the special gift for telling stories through his art. He has a deep desire to continue photographing the lands his ancestors once walked.
Tapahe has received numerous awards, including the Best of Show award for his photography at the Cherokee Indian Market (2018) and the Museum of Northern Arizona (2019), making him the first photographer to achieve this honor.
Tapahe has also been honored with two International Awards of Excellence from Communication Arts magazine. His work is in the permanent collections of numerous museums, including the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian (Washington, DC), the Birmingham Museum of Art (Alabama), The Toledo Museum (Ohio), Speed Art Museum (Kentucky), the Arizona State Museum, the Minnesota History Center Museum, and the College of Wooster Art Museum (Ohio).
Monroe Gallery of Photography was founded by Sidney S. Monroe and Michelle A. Monroe in 2001. Building on more than six decades of collective experience, the gallery specializes in photography that embodies the universal understanding and importance of photojournalism. Monroe Gallery was the recipient of the 2010 Alfred Eisenstaedt Award for Excellence in Photojournalism.
