Tuesday's Tweevenings Explains Why Contemporary Native Art in the Northland Differs from the Southwest

Blue Otter in Red Water; Karen Savage-Blue

Wendy Savage addresses attendees this past Tuesday eve. 

Tuesday evening I attended a very special presentation by Wendy Savage on the current Intersections exhibition at the Tweed Museum of Art on the campus of UMD. It was the best attended Tweevenings talk since I have been attended maybe five years ago. (Full Discolsure: I have missed a few so that assertion may be incorrect... It was the best attended of those I have participated in these past five years.)

Ken Bloom welcomed us, made a few remarks about this exhibit, and then introduced Wendy Savage, an adjunct professor here at UMD who received her BFA at the University of Wisconsin.

Detail from John Feather's The "Don't Remember" Bar

Like many speakers who are enthusiastic about their subject matter, Ms. Savage was overflowing with potential directions her talk could go. The began by sharing the creation story by Gitche Manitou (the Great Spirit) and talked about our power to dream. She shared several idea fragments while providing an overview of the history of the relationship between native peoples and the United States.

For me, the absolutely fascinating part of her talk was the story behind why the Native art scene is so very different here from the Santa Fe / Southwest art, which I personally liked but found somewhat cliche in the sense that it seemed to "define" what Native art should look like. In covering the many expressions of Native artists here in the Northland these past eight years or so, I have felt that there was something unique going on, but I did not know the why.

Carl Gaboy, one of the influential and respected artists of our region, felt that "Southwest Art" should not be embossed on the Native art here. There were discussions, and George Morrison, a nationally recognized artist, met with some other leading artists to address this issue. The result was an Ojibwa Art Expo, the first native American Exhibition run by and for Native Americans.

But, you say, didn't the Native Americans run the SW arts scene? No. And that was the Aha! takeaway.

Untitled oil on canvas by George Morrison. 

What I was seeing here in the Northland scene was an art informed by Native roots, but that incorporated all kinds of expressions, like various flavors of tea, aromatically enhanced by herbs and spices from all over the world. There has been a liberation from what the art is "supposed" to look like, while still remaining distinctive.

After her general remarks, Wendy Savage led a walking tour around the gallery hall and discussed the individual artists and their works.

The art on display is all part of the Tweed Collection, which now has upwards of 11,000 pieces. It is an exhibition curated by Dr. Karissa Isaacs of the Bad River Ojibwe Band. The 19 Minnesota artists are connected with a variety of tribes from the Upper Midwest. The images on this page are all from the current show, which really ought to be visited sometime this coming year.

Detail from Dyani White Hawk's Quiet Strength Series. (Oil on canvas)

Wendy Savage discusses Dyani White Hawk's painting.

Because words can be often insufficient, I recommend visiting the Tweed for this, and several other featured exhibits, including Anne Labowitz's 122 Conversations.

Related Links
Review of Intersections Opening Reception
Review of Steve Premo's "Free the Slave -- Slay the Free"

Meantime, art goes on all around you. Get into it.