Milwaukee Art Museum
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Exhibition Design
Completed: 2023
Client: Chipstone Foundation
Assisted by: Courteney Begay
Fabrication: Current Projects MKE
Photography: Tom Harris Photography
::Editor’s Pick: Architect’s Newspaper 2023 AN Best of Design Awards - Best Exhibition Design::
This gallery showcases exceptional works in clay made by thirteen Indigenous artists from diverse cultures and sovereign nations within the present-day United States. Each artwork is a being, made with the living earth by artists who observe and honor sacred presence in human and nonhuman alike. We understand these beings as representatives of vital and varied Indigenous knowledge – about being original peoples to a place, the teachings of ancestors, and the artistic innovations that shape Indigenous futures.
In this transnational gathering place, shared Indigenous values are immersive. The carved walls evoke a geological space, inviting a deep connection to Earth that is embodied by each clay vessel. A Sky Hole unites Mother Earth and Father Sky, the sources of life for many Indigenous nations. Thirteen artworks were selected to reflect the number of annual moons and the cyclical sense of time that brings into close relation Indigenous beings from the past, present and future. The artist’s words – written in each case and heard speaking – convey the diverse creative processes and values that help us understand each Knowledge Being.