The Desert Is No Lady

The title of this program comes from the work of poet Pat Mora, one of nine women who present their work and discuss their philosophy of art as it relates to the environmental and cultural climate of the southwest. Mora, a native of El Paso, talks about the influences of this "contentious space" and the friction between the Mexican and American cultures which she represents. Other interviewees include writer Sandra Cisneros, who describes her pleasure in the co-existence of the Spanish and English languages; Harmony Hammond, who explains the draw of the southwest for Anglo landscape painters such as herself; and sculptor Norma Naranjo Horse, who tells us how the Pueblo way of thinking influences her art right down to the gathering of clay for her work. Although the intellectual content is interesting, the real appeal here is technique: visually stunning, the film features both broad vistas (some almost surreal landscapes) and small artistic details that reveal and illuminate the unique qualities which draw artists to the area and influence their work. Highly recommended for larger arts collections. Aud: C, P. (J. Reed)