Toro, Toro

In this captivating ‘1 of 1’ foundry proof bronze sculpture, Toro Toro, Tammy Garcia has crafted a scene that seamlessly blends diverse traditions in the iconic contemporary style that is uniquely her own. Across a pair of deeply embossed panels are six ‘deer dancers’, participants in a sacred Pueblo Kachina ceremony traditionally held in winter. The deer dancers grasp short, decorated staffs in their hands to simulate the forelegs of the deer and wear antlered headdresses to complete their garb. In Toro Toro, two of the dancers are adorned with curled horns instead. They face one another from across the split in the panels like challenging bulls, while the other antlered dancers look on. Off to the right side, a Pueblo Clown figure antagonizes the scene by waving a red and white blanket, just as a traditional torero (bullfighter) would. The ground beneath the opposed “bulls” features distinct symbolic motifs and is adorned with the iconic sagebrush that Tammy Garcia is well-known for.

Toro Toro is a triumph not only in this challenging, meticulous medium, but also in cross-cultural composition, creating something new from our world’s rich, diverse heritage. As a “#1/1 Foundry Proof,” this sculpture can be considered the true original of this artwork. Its availability is a rare opportunity.