Highlights beautiful objects - both useful and ceremonial - made by the Indigenous artists of the Northwest Coast and Alaska. This guide includes seldom-told stories about individual artworks, as well as the Denver Art Museum's history of working with living Native artists.
This expansive volume showcases two hundred notable Indigenous artworks from the Denver Art Museum, accompanied by essays addressing the collection and contemporary issues facing Indigenous communities. Aimed at both seasoned admirers and newcomers, the book reinterprets the collection, offering fresh insights into the historic and contemporary works of Indigenous artists. The artworks span various media, artistic traditions, and time periods, organized geographically to encourage connections between the pieces and their places of origin. Contributions from Indigenous authors provide reflections on the collection and highlight current challenges faced by Indigenous communities. Notable contributors include John P. Lukavic, Dakota Hoska (Oglála Lakȟóta), Christopher Patrello, and many others, including artists and scholars from diverse backgrounds. The book opens with a contribution from United States Poet Laureate Joy Harjo, setting a thoughtful tone for the exploration of Indigenous arts and their significance today.