Phoenix Art Museum will present the first solo museum exhibition of contemporary Chemehuevi/American artist Cara Romero in early 2026. The exhibition, titled “Cara Romero: Panûpünüwügai (Living Light),” is organized by the Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth and will feature more than 60 large-scale photographs spanning a decade of Romero’s career. It includes a new commission created by Romero that involves collaborative storytelling with Native peoples from the Phoenix region.
The exhibition will be on view from February 28 through June 28, 2026. Jeremy Mikolajczak, Sybil Harrington Director and CEO of Phoenix Art Museum, said, “Phoenix Art Museum is profoundly honored to debut Cara Romero: Panûpünüwügai (Living Light) during this historic moment for the institution, as we expand our commitment to presenting the most innovative voices shaping contemporary art today. Romero stands at the forefront of contemporary photography, masterfully weaving materials, myths, and Indigenous practices with urgent contemporary realities. Though rooted in her personal story and Indigenous futurism, her work speaks universally to themes of women’s empowerment, environmental stewardship, and the role of landscape in shaping identity. This exhibition represents a milestone for our communities to experience the work of a groundbreaking artist with deep cultural and historical ties to the Desert Southwest.”
Romero is known for dramatic fine-art photography examining Indigenous life in modern contexts. Raised between California’s Chemehuevi reservation and Houston, Texas, she uses visual storytelling to counter dominant narratives about Native American experiences.
“Having a contemporary photography exhibit at Phoenix Art Museum marks a radical turn in my journey as a Native American female photographer,” said Cara Romero. “I am excited for the work to be integrated into an American Art museum as an intercultural conversation– I’m especially excited that PhxArt is the closest major American Art institution to my homelands on the Chemehuevi Valley Indian Reservation.
This is my first solo exhibition touring the United States, and Phoenix is the second of four venues. It feels like such an epic venue for this exhibition. My hope is that together, we open people’s minds to the many fascinating diversities of Native people and stories.”
The title “Panûpünüwügai” translates as “living light” and refers both to spiritual aspects of light and its interaction with people. The works are grouped into five sections: California Desert and Mythos; (Re)Imagining Americana Drawing; Rematriation: Empowering Indigenous Women; Environmental Racism; and Ancestral Futures.
A newly commissioned piece created with local Indigenous community members will debut at Phoenix Art Museum before joining its permanent collection of over 21,000 objects.
Emilia Mickevicius, Norton Family Assistant Curator of Photography at Phoenix Art Museum and Center for Creative Photography who coordinated this presentation at PhxArt said: “Cara Romero is one of the leading image-makers of our time. I’m eager for our audiences to connect with her practice and unique storytelling through this immersive, captivating installation.”
The show was curated by Jami Powell from Hood Museum of Art; it will be accompanied by a catalogue featuring contributions from scholars including Suzan Shown Harjo (Mvskoke), former U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo (Mvskoke), Jordan Poorman Cocker (Kiowa/Tongan), among others.
Admission details include free entry for museum members and children under five years old; general admission covers entrance to this special exhibition. Reduced admission times are available on Wednesdays from 3 – 8 pm thanks to support from SRP and City of Phoenix as well as First Fridays from 5 – 8 pm supported by APS and Lexus.
Since opening in 1959 in central Phoenix’s corridor area,Phoenix Art Museum has welcomed millions annually—about 300,000 guests each year—to exhibitions ranging across American/Western American art along with Asian, European, Latin American works plus fashion design collections.General visitor information can be found online or by calling their main line.
