BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art today announced American Sunrise: Indigenous Art at Crystal Bridges, a new exhibition that examines the beauty and intricacy of Crystal Bridges’ growing art collection, including new acquisitions of works by Native artists. Guided by three themes, Indigenous Futurism, Place, and Kinship, American Sunrise celebrates the historical and ongoing relationships Indigenous peoples carry between the land; intergenerational artistic expressions; and the resilience of affinity between artists and place.
Opening on November 9, the show will feature a range of innovative and technically mastered mediums including basketry, beadwork, paintings, photography, and pottery showcasing the achievements of more than 30 prominent artists from what is now known as the United States and Canada, spanning 150 years of creativity.
“Through American Sunrise, our community will have such a special opportunity to experience the vibrancy and breadth of diversity in artistic styles,” said Jordan Poorman Cocker (Kiowa), curator of Indigenous art and NAGPRA officer at Crystal Bridges. “I’m thrilled to see so many new artworks added to our permanent collection, so Crystal Bridges visitors can experience Native American art, artists, and stories for many years to come.”
The show’s title, American Sunrise, was inspired by a volume of poems by Poet Laureate of the United States Joy Harjo (Muscogee). Featured artists include Andrea Carlson (Grand Portage Ojibwe), Bobby “Dues” Wilson (Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota), Cara Romero (Chemehuevi), Consuelo Jimenez Underwood, Frank Buffalo Hyde (Onondaga, Nez Perce), Jane Osti (Cherokee Nation), Jason Garcia (Santa Clara Pueblo), Jeffrey Gibson (Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians/ Cherokee descent), Jeri Redcorn (Caddo), Jody Naranjo (Santa Clara Pueblo), Jordan Ann Craig (Northern Cheyenne), Kelly Church (Ottawa / Potawatomi), Les Namingha (Hopi-Tewa), Martine Gutierrez, Pop Chalee (Taos Pueblo), Roy Boney (Cherokee Nation), Ryan RedCorn (Osage Nation), Stephen Mopope (Kiowa), Susan Folwell (Santa Clara Pueblo), Teri Greeves (Kiowa), Virgil Ortiz (Cochiti Pueblo), Will Wilson ( Diné (Navajo)), Yatika Starr Fields (Cherokee Nation, Muscogee Nation, Osage Nation), and Jaune Quick-to-See Smith (Salish, Kootenai).
“American Sunrise is an opportunity to reflect on the history of American art through a thoughtful focus on Native artists and artworks,” said Ashley Holland (Cherokee Nation), curator and director of curatorial initiatives at Art Bridges. “It’s an honor to be a part of this project and the ongoing collaboration between Art Bridges and Crystal Bridges, as we work together to expand access to American art and build a more inclusive narrative in museums.”
The exhibition is co-curated by Jordan Poorman Cocker, curator of Indigenous art and NAGPRA officer at Crystal Bridges, and Ashley Holland, curator and director of curatorial affairs at Art Bridges Foundation.
American Sunrise is on view at Crystal Bridges from November 9, 2024, through March 23, 2025. The exhibition is free, no tickets required. On November 9, the museum will host a free artist panel featuring Teri Greeves (Kiowa), Jeri Redcorn (Caddo), Kelly Church, (Ottawa / Potawatomi), and Jane Osti (Cherokee Nation), moderated by Poorman Cocker and Holland.
For more information on the show and its upcoming programming, please visit the museum’s website.
