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Buffalo Bill Center of the West

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  • Visit
    • Current HoursDecember 1–February 28: 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Thursday–Sunday
    • Hours and RatesPlan your visit to the Center of the West.
    • Group SalesBook a commercial or non-commercial tour with us.
    • Facility RentalsHost your event in one of our indoor or outdoor spaces.
    • Visiting YellowstonePlan your visit to Yellowstone National Park.
    • LodgingSelect from a variety of local accommodations.
    • ItinerariesDiscover some quick day trips in and around Cody.
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    • Pre-K ProgramsSet up a guided tour for your preschool class.
    • Field TripsInvestigate outdoor adventures for adults and children.
    • Highlights MapsDiscover collection highlights in each of our museum.
    • Games and InteractivesLearn about the collection through online interactives.
    • Lectures & FilmsPlan for future talks and view past program videos.
    • Western EssaysDelve into historical information on western topics.
  • Shop
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    • Digital CollectionsExplore our extensive photo and manuscript collections.
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    • The Papers of William F. CodyDiscover scholarship on the man and the myth.
    • Fellowship ProgramContribute to new scholarship using Center collections.
    • Buffalo BillUncover in-depth information about William F. Cody.
    • Greater Yellowstone Natural HistoryLearn more about the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
    • Western ArtDelve into the lives and works of western artists.
    • Plains IndianDiscover more about Plains Indian tribes and collections.
    • FirearmsFind a firearms bibliography, glossary, and more.
    • ConservationFind out how we preserve Center collections.
    • Rights and ReproductionsLicense or reproduce images from our collections.
  • Support
    • Planned GivingLeave your legacy with a bequest or estate gift.
    • Patrons BallAttend our annual gala fundraiser.
    • MembershipBecome a supporter and receive great benefits.
    • VolunteerSupport the Center with your time and talent.
    • 1966 Pontiac GTO winner: Ticket # 4206Our winner: Ticket number 4206 from Bozeman, Montana!
    • Give TodayMake a donation to programs and operations.
    • Why I SupportSee what motivates donors to give to the Center.
    • A.P. Proctor bronze winner: Ticket # 1115407Our winner: Ticket number 1115407 from Dayton, Ohio!
    • Raptor ExperienceHelp provide care for our avian friends.
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Home > Staff > Native Nations Now: An Exhibition of Contemporary Native Art

Native Nations Now: An Exhibition of Contemporary Native Art

April 3, 2018 by Hunter Old Elk

Past Exhibition

Native Nations Now: An Exhibition of Contemporary Native Art

May 17 – October 29, 2018

"When the Buffalo Came Back," 2018 © John Isaiah Pepion

“When the Buffalo Came Back,” 2018 © John Isaiah Pepion

Plains Indian Museum, Buffalo Bill Center of the West partnered with the Creative Indigenous Collective to curate this groundbreaking exhibition from Plains Indian artists Robert Martinez, John Isaiah Pepion, Holly Young, Lauren Monroe, Louis Still Smoking, Gina Still Smoking, and Ben Pease.

Creative Indigenous Collective Scope and Objectives

“The Creative Indigenous Collective; hereafter CIC, formed to represent the education and promotion of Contemporary Indigenous culture and creativity. In many communities around the world, Indigenous art has been overlooked and compartmentalized by the Western paradigm. The CIC advocates that Indigenous Peoples are the original creatives who require respect via representation and exhibition of art. The scope of the CIC is to deliver representation in Native communities through event production, exhibition, conference, discussion, academic forum, collaboration and public engagement.

“Current See” 2017, © Robert Martinez

“The Indigenous viewpoint is important in virtually every culture across the world. The Contemporary Indigenous viewpoint is a facet that is most often overlooked or forgotten. There is a myriad of non-indigenous art about or depicting indigenous culture that focuses on stereotypical or romanticized imagery. We as the CIC look to provide awareness and intellectual creation to adjust the expectation of so-called “Indian” Art. This exhibit will focus on the Contemporary creations of beauty and resilience which our cultures have consistently implemented simply to continue existing. We seek to simply educate and share our unique perspective in both historical and contemporary society.”

Exhibition Format:

The exhibition opened on May 17, 2018, with an opening reception that will feature the artists in the Plains Indian Museum with their art as an opportunity for direct interaction and dialogue between artists and guests. The Native Nations Now works will be featured on the “Contemporary Voices” panels (four panels, with 1–3 works on each panel depending upon size, and possibly sculptures) in the Plains Indian Museum, with additional works and information about the Creative Indigenous Collective in the new Native Arts Gallery on the lower level of the Plains Indian Museum. The exhibition will introduce the Creative Indigenous Collective as a regional force of national significance—seven Native artists (from Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota) featured in the temporary exhibition. The event, and the exhibition, are the first of many future opportunities to establish the presence of Native art in the Plains Indian Museum with dynamic, emerging, and impactful contemporary Native artists. With the partnership of the Creative Indigenous Collective and other Native artists in the future, our goals are to explore the diverse media, messages, and relevance of contemporary Native art; and to provide dynamic outreach exchanges for audiences and artists.

 

Filed Under: Plains Indian Museum, Staff
Tagged With: ben pease, contemporary art, creative indigenous collective, exhibition, gina still smoking, holly young, john pepion, lauren monroe, louis still smoking, robert martinez

 

About Hunter Old Elk

Bía Basaane (Woman Who Leads), Crow/Yakama of the Plains Indian Museum at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, grew up on the Crow Indian Reservation in Southeastern Montana. Old Elk earned a bachelor's degree in art with a focus on Native American history at Mount St. Mary’s University. Recently, she was selected as a 2017 Fellow for the Western States Arts Federation’s Emerging Leaders of Color. Old Elk uses museum engagement and social media to explore the complexities of historic and contemporary indigenous culture. She is especially inspired by the lives of Native American women who lived and thrived on the Plains. Her life’s work is dedicated to their multifaceted legacies. Facebook/ Instagram: @plainsindianmuseum

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