Indigenous Glass Art Takes Center Stage at the National Museum of the American Indian

"The vibrant medium of glass takes center stage in Clearly Indigenous: Native Visions Reimagined in Glass. Featuring more than 100 glass art pieces created by 29 Native American and First Nations artists, this exhibition at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian in New York also includes works by leading glass artist Dale Chihuly, who first introduced glass art to Indian Country as an instructor at the Institute of American Indian Arts."

""This exhibition underscores one path of evolution for Indigenous artists that breaks beyond media considered traditional for their respective cultures," said Michelle Delaney, Associate Director for Museum Scholarship. "Through their work in glass, these artists have expanded into unexpected ways of expressing Native perspectives." Spanning approximately 45 years of Native glass art, the exhibition presents a wide range of objects that demonstrate the diversity and skill of Indigenous glassmakers, highlighting how artists have embraced glass as a means to explore both aesthetic and cultural expression."

Clearly Indigenous: Native Visions Reimagined in Glass presents more than 100 glass artworks by 29 Native American and First Nations artists, now on view in New York City at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian. The display spans approximately 45 years of Native glass art and includes works by Dale Chihuly. Artists employ vessels, sculptural forms, inventive shapes, textures, and experimental materials to expand techniques and aesthetic expression. The works explore heritage and identity through contemporary reinterpretations of traditional influences. The presentation highlights diversity, technical skill, and evolving approaches as Indigenous makers adapt glass to convey cultural perspectives.

Read at Hyperallergic