On July 22, the Washington State History Museum opened the 18th annual IN THE SPIRIT Contemporary Native Arts exhibition, and announced this year’s award winners.
This juried exhibition showcases a diverse collection of pieces from Native American artists. The artwork ranges from traditional craftsmanship to cutting-edge contemporary styles. This year, 36 pieces from 26 artists were selected to be a part of the exhibition.
The artists who have been honored for their contributions are as follows:
Carly Feddersen (Colville Confederated Tribes) – Best in Show for her woven waxed linen pictorial basket Coyote and the Monster Who Ate Everyone. “This piece is exceptional in the construction and concept,” a juror stated. “I would choose this piece for a time capsule to represent Indigenous artwork for today.”
Timothy O’Connell III (Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe) – won Spirit of the Northwest for his form line landscape painting ʔəsxʷənáʔwəs skʷáči ʔaʔ cə cácu (cloudy day at the beach). One juror said, “This artwork evokes the colors and sense of familiar cloudy skies, while honoring ancestral forms in a breathtaking way.”
Denise Emerson (Skokomish Enrolled and Navajo) – Honoring the Ancestors awardee for her remarkable painted design Skokomish People of the River Basket Design. “This piece has a graphic design element which makes it even more impressive that it is hand painted,” remarked a juror. “I love how precise and mathematically the design is organized.”
Alison Bremner (Tlingit) – won the Honoring Innovation award for her unique beadwork Beanie Baby, Millennium Dreams. “The nostalgia this piece evokes is spot on for my generation as a millennial,” said a juror. “As a beader, I appreciate the laborious stitches this artist details. It’s fun, innovative, nostalgic!”
The awards are selected by a panel of rotating jury members who are Native artists or subject experts. The esteemed 2023 jurors include José E. Montaño (Aymara-Quechua), Paige Pettibon (Confederated Salish and Kootenai), and Tisa Matheson (Nimiipuu).
Curators Todd Clark and Dr. Danica Sterud Miller of the upcoming Washington State History Museum Exhibition This is Native Land selected this year’s Purchase Prize. The Purchase Prize will become a permanent piece in the Washington State Historical Society’s IN THE SPIRIT collection. Alison Bremner’s Millennium Dreams was named the winner. “We do our best to choose works that represent a highlight of the year’s pieces entered but we take into consideration how the piece could be used in future exhibitions and whether or not the artist is already represented in the collection among other factors,” they stated. “We believe this year’s selection checked all of those boxes.”
Each year, the Washington State History Museum works closely with a Native Advisory Committee to shape the exhibition and the accompanying IN THE SPIRIT Arts Market & Northwest Native Festival. The highly anticipated free indoor/outdoor community festival, held on August 12 from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, serves as a celebration of Native culture. The festival features an artist vendor market, cultural music and dance performances, art-making opportunities, and free access to the Washington State History Museum, Tacoma Art Museum, and Museum of Glass for the day.
In appreciation to our active-duty military families, the Blue Star Museums program, and the Washington State History Museum offers complimentary admission for up to five family members with valid ID from May 29 through September 4.
The IN THE SPIRIT Contemporary Native Arts exhibition has been made possible, in part, through the generous support of Tacoma Venues & Events.
Get all the details for IN THE SPIRIT Contemporary Native Arts exhibition and festival at washingtonhistory.org.
Exhibitions and Events Dates and Links:
IN THE SPIRIT Contemporary Native Arts Exhibition
July 22 through September 24, 2023
At the Washington State History Museum, 1911 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, WA 98405 https://www.washingtonhistory.org/exhibit/in-the-spirit-2023/
IN THE SPIRIT Arts Market & Northwest Native Festival
FREE
Saturday, August 12, 2023, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
At the Washington State History Museum, 1911 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, WA 98405