Object in Its Own Domain: How Hispano New Mexican Santos are Situated in Space‪.‬

Culture is an expression -- it's not a thing. It's not a bulto, it's not a retablo. It's an expression of life that's going on around you at a particular moment (Luis Tapia, Crossing Boundaries). In 1998, as part of field research investigating how cultural difference is represented and negotiated in Santa Fe museums and festivals, I interviewed a renowned saint-maker [santero] about his work and his position as an acclaimed artist, important Hispano cultural expert and powerful citizen of northern New Mexico.(2) As I was leaving his home and studio, he took a sliced, polished rock out of a small alcove [nicho] by the door. He handed it to me, telling me that a poor wanderer had sold it to him one day at the Flea Market. I said something like "Hmmm". He said, "You should look at it in the light". I commented that it was beautiful. He said, "Yes, isn't it wonderful to find such a thing", and paused. I didn't respond, realizing, as the pause dragged on, that I was supposed to be seeing something in this rock that I just wasn't seeing. Then, I recognized that as the curves on the rock's polished surface moved toward what had been its center, they formed a shape remarkably like the figure in images of the Virgin of Guadalupe. "Incredible", I said. "It looks like an image of Mary". He then reclaimed the rock, placing it back in its nicho. Later, I heard from others that they too had been shown this rock when leaving the santero's home.