Over the weekend, the Museum hosted thousands of visitors for the member preview of the new American Indian art galleries.
The new galleries greatly increase space for American Indian art from approximately 1,500 square feet to just over 6,000. The Nelson-Atkins is one of the only comprehensive museums in the US to dedicate that much space to native American art.
The new galleries are positioned adjacent to the new American art galleries which opened in April 2009. This bold step establishes American Indian art as part of American heritage and creates an unprecedented continuity and commitment rarely seen in a fine arts museum.
The two new galleries are now on the second floor in what used to be the Modern & Contemporary galleries. However, they look nothing like the former space.
Grouped by eight main culture areas of North America, the new installation includes masterworks from a wide spectrum of cultures from pre-European contact to the present, including Woodlands, Plains, Southwest; Plateau; California and the adjacent Great Basin, Northwest Coast and Arctic. Navajo textiles, Woodlands and Plains quillwork, beadwork and sculpture, Pueblo pottery, Southwestern jewelry, Northwest Coast sculpture and California and Plateau basketry are among the artistic traditions represented in the Museum’s collection.
There are approximately 200 objects in the new galleries including many masterworks such as this incredible Objiwa Coat, Lonnie Vigil's gorgeous Micaceous Pottery Jar and one of my favorites, this Arikara Shield.
There are many "smaller" objects in the galleries too. Some literally only a few inches such as this ivory Toggle that is only 1 5/8 inches long. One pair of objects I found fascinating are these Prescription Sticks here and here.
Prescription Sticks were used by a healer as he or she prepared herbal medicines. The edges of the sticks are incised with pictographs that represent plant species and quantities. These are from the Potawatomi tribe in either Wisconsin or Kansas.
I'm looking forward to exploring the galleries in depth and learning more about the objects and sharing stories about the people who created them. The galleries are open to the public now. This weekend is the community celebration with special activities and performances.
Comments (5)
My wife and I came all the way from western South Dakota to attend the opening of the new American Indian Gallery on Nov. 6th. It was well worth the trip! We also have a piece in the collection (Buffalo Horn Rimmed Glasses). We had to be in the gallery early for video and voice recordings so we got to see all the last minute preparations that was to happen in a few hours. I could feel the excitement that was building minute by minute as finger prints were wiped off of glass, a few people were getting behind the scenes peeks and curators bustled back and forth! It was all so exciting!
The talks in the auditorium just added the to suspense of the great collections we were to see. (we had already seen it but we could feel the electricity in the air). Then finally, everyone crowded into the gallery! The whole gallery was buzzing! People were looking, pointing, wanting to show whoever it was they were with some small detail that only they had seen on a item. There were groups of people gathered and individuals just standing looking and shaking their heads in amazement at the beauty of displayed art.
What a great time we had! As an artist it's great to see people appreciating art and seeing people being brought together.
Having my work included in such a wonderful collection is humbling and an honor.
I hope that the American Indian exhibit continues to draw crowds and create an appreciation and understanding about what Indigenous Peoples lives were like and what we are today.
I congratulate all the people involved in putting this collection together from the finger print removers to the curators to the construction workers....... great job!
Posted by Kevin Pourier | November 22, 2009 11:03 PM
Posted on November 22, 2009 23:03
Thank you for your kind words, Kevin. It is an honor to have your work in our collection. I'm glad you enjoyed the experience.
Posted by Jodi O-K | December 1, 2009 2:30 PM
Posted on December 1, 2009 14:30
I, too, attended the grand opening of your new American Indian Gallery and absolutely loved it. I brought a friend who had not yet seen the new American Gallery so he took in both. The speaker you had on site from the staff was very informative and helpful, too.
Two more notes:
I love what you're doing with the museum, gallery by gallery. It's a tribute to your terrific work. It's making the Nelson more and more important and valuable to the city. The exhibition in the new Bloch Gallery last year with the train theme was fantastic, also.
Second, I frequently shoot the front of the Nelson, year 'round and put it on my photography blog. I shot it again, this morning, after the snow storm and have just put it up. You can find it right now at KC Photog Blog, for what it's worth. You get some national and international exposure because of it, too, as I post the additions on Facebook. Friends from Australia and England have enjoyed the shots of the shuttlecocks.
Thanks again, for your work and for the gallery,
Mo Rage
KC Photog Blog
Posted by Mo Rage | January 7, 2010 3:32 PM
Posted on January 7, 2010 15:32
Please accept my sincere, if somewhat belated, congratulations upon the opening of your American Indian Gallery. What a labor of love and thrill that must have been.
From the photographs provided it appears that there are many especially wonderful objects presented in the gallery and that they are exceptionally well presented. Coming to Kansas City from Wyoming to actually visit the gallery is high on our list of "must dos". Thank you again
Posted by David P. Cunningham | June 1, 2010 6:26 PM
Posted on June 1, 2010 18:26
Sincerest thanks, Mo and David, for your kind words. The art continues to awe and inspire...
David, please feel free to peruse the Nelson-Atkins American Indian collection webpage for more information and more images.
http://www.nelson-atkins.org/art/AmericanIndian.cfm
Posted by Melissa | June 2, 2010 10:32 AM
Posted on June 2, 2010 10:32