From the beaded phrases of Jeffrey Gibson’s sculptural weaves to Jaune Quick to see Smith‘s canoe series to Raven Crescent‘s fingerprint-textured tribute, a new exhibition marks the largest presentation of American Indigenous work in Britain to date.
Opening next week, Hold on to this earth bee Yorkshire Sculpture Park contains nearly 70 pieces by 38 artists, who in turn represent 35 tribal nations. “(The artists) reference and honor ancestral knowledge while being steadfastly contemporary, asserting a powerful presence and countering narratives of erasure that too often position indigenous cultures solely in terms of the past,” says a statement from Tia collectionfrom which the pieces are drawn.
Colossal readers will recognize works by Cannupa Hanska Luger, Dyani White Hawk, Nicholas Galanin and more. The range of media highlights the diverse materials and approaches used by Indigenous contemporary artists and nods to cultural traditions, heritage crafts and precious landscapes, while also considering socio-economic issues, visibility and representation, and technology.
“Materials such as clay, skins, wool, beads and natural pigments become carriers of powerful stories, memory and tradition, rooted in connection with the earth,” says Tia Collection. “Newer forms of expression and understanding emerging from digital culture also speak to the changing landscapes of Indigenous life in the 21st century.”
Hold on to this earth opens on June 13 and runs until April 18, 2027 in Wakefield. Stay informed about exhibitions with works from the Tia collection Instagram.
