Native Portraiture: Power and Perception

When artists depict the American West, many chose to paint the people who first lived on this land. This exhibition looks at pictures of American Indians and the artists who are representing them in their art. In doing so, it reveals a system of power where non-Native people are taking ownership of Native peoples and cultures for their own use resulting in the appropriation of people and cultures.

Cultural appropriation is when an artist takes or borrows a visual reference from another person or culture, often without the consent of the owner. Appropriation is multifaceted, but when non-Native artists portray Indigenous people, it often results in the misrepresentation of people and objects, which has led to centuries of cultural misunderstandings. For example, the sacred symbol of the Plains Indian headdress is often shown with disregard to its cultural value. Taking this important cultural object out of context is disrespectful to its sacred meaning. By acknowledging who and how images of Indigenous people were created we aim to raise awareness to cultural sensitivities of how people and cultures are represented in art.

This exhibition seeks to continue TAM’s work with tribal members to educate our visitors about the symbolism of the artworks and the historical contexts in which they were created. The exhibition will also create space for the artwork of contemporary Indigenous artists.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website