We are so grateful to everyone who joined us for the opening of the Nationally traveling exhibition featuring Alaska Native art – Protection: Adaptation and Resistance, on May 19th.
Exhibit curator Asia Freeman from Bunnell Street Arts Center in Homer, Alaska was at the Center for Native Arts and Cultures all week helping set up the exhibit and promote it. Opening night Asia introduced the Portland community to the visiting exhibiting artists; Lily Hope (Tlingit), Dimi Macheras (Ahtna) and his creative partner Casey Silver, Filmmaker Katelyn Stiles (Sitka Tribe of Alaska and the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska), Elli Tansy (Ahtna), Activist Amber Webb (Yup’ik), and Traditional Tattoo Artist and Graphic Designer Holly Mititquq Nordlum (Inupiaq).
Photos by Robert Franklin, Mandy Yeahpau and Carter Silago.
The event was packed with supporters of Native art and members of the local Indigenous community. Each artist got to speak about their work to the crowd before we moved into the black box theater space, to hear opening remarks from our President and CEO Lulani Arquette, Programs Director Reuben Roqueni, and a prayer and blessing from Alaska Native elder Frank Alby, remarks from Representative Rob Nosse, and a song from the Alaska Native Singing Group.
At Native Arts and Cultures Foundation, we are so honored to get to showcase this incredible work in this way.
This exhibit took place from May 19th – August 4th, 2023.
We want to specifically recognize Hannah Bakken Morris Assistant Director, Center for Contemporary Art & Culture, at the Pacific Northwest College of Art, and Holly Nordlum for lending their talents to the vinyl wall design outside the exhibit doors.