Exploring the Terrain of Contemporary Native American Art

HYPERALLERGIC
By Ryan Wong
nstallation view of ‘How to catch eel and grow corn’ at Wilmer Jennings Gallery, with a mandala by Nadema Agard in foreground (all photos by the author for Hyperallergic)
NEW YORK---Where are the indigenous stories, communities, and artists within “American” contemporary art? As we wait for big institutions to grapple with this question, two gallery group shows — which were simultaneously on display for a few weeks — offer an answer. At Wilmer Jennings Gallery at Kenkeleba was How to catch eel and grow corn, curated by Stephen Hepworth, and at Radiator Gallery is You Are on Indian Land, curated by Erin Joyce (who’s also a Hyperallergic contributor). Both exhibitions show artists investigating America — its psyche, history, and landscape — with eyes unfazed by the stories it tells about itself. [link]