Post 5: READING - DISCUSSION – THE ART OF INDIGENOUS AMERICANS ART HISTORY: A CENTURY OF EXHIBITIONS

1. Native Art Often Left Out: Even though museums have started including African American, Asian American, and Latino art, Native American art is still often pushed to the side or treated as separate.

2. Early Recognition: In the 1920s and 1930s, Native art, especially Pueblo paintings, was seen as truly "American" and was featured in big exhibitions like Indian Art of the United States (1941).

3. 1970s Comeback: During the Civil Rights and Red Power movements, Native art got more attention. Shows like Two American Painters (1972) helped people see it as part of American art history, not just anthropology.

4. Modern Struggles: Even today, many museums treat Native art as something from the past, not as a living tradition. Contemporary Native artists are often left out of major art spaces.

5. Looking Forward: Experts say museums need to do better by including Native art in the bigger story of American art and letting Indigenous voices lead the way.


Discussion Question:

How can museums stop treating Native American art as something separate or old-fashioned and start showing it as a living, important part of American art? Why is it important to include contemporary Native artists in mainstream art spaces?


Museums can use various techniques to display Native American art as an important part of American Art. First, they do not need to put Native American art in a separate place or room than the American art, instead incorporating it with the American art. Also, museums can challenge the stereotypes of Native Americans that are pushed out by today's media. It is important to portray Native artists in museums because more people are able to view it and it will bring more appreciation to the art. Also, it will motivate more current Native American artists to push their work out to museums.

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