On Feb. 10, the Utah Museum of Fine Arts will debut “Splendid Heritage: Perspectives on American Indian Art.” The exhibition, which is on loan from the private collection of John and Marva Warnock, runs through Jan. 3, 2010. Splendid Heritage features 145 objects of artistic and cultural significance relating to the early Plains, Plateau, Great Basin and Northeastern American Indians.
Following the immensely popular exhibit “From Monet to Picasso,” “Splendid Heritage” goes in another direction, examining the objects as both art and artifact, highlighting the intersection between craftsmanship and culture.
“All of the objects in the exhibition illustrate how items of daily use can be elevated from mere utility to breathtaking examples of artistic skill and vision,” said Bernadette Brown, curator of African, Oceanic and New World Art for the museum, in a statement.
“We didn’t want to follow up one exhibition of European art with another,” Brown said. “This shows how the museum is responsible to many different areas of art, that we’re approaching the world from many different directions.”
In that same way, Brown explained that the title, “Splendid Heritage” (given by the Warnocks), signifies that these pieces relate not just to the heritage of Native Americans or Indians, but to all the Americas. The Warnocks acquired the objects at an auction, fearing that they might otherwise be auctioned off separately and spread throughout the globe. They saw it as an opportunity to keep an important piece of American heritage intact.
“Coming from the West, we are acutely aware of American Indian people and their impact, their culture and artistry,” Brown said. “It’s all of our heritage.”
The museum is calling this a landmark exhibition, because of the age, quality, and variety of the objects. Visitors will find pieces from the northwestern United States dating back to the late 1700s, many of which have never been on display to the public. Brown said this exhibition will also introduce Utahns8212;familiar with southwest American Indian culture8212;to Native American heritage and art from the eastern United States.
“Splendid Heritage” is also unique in its take on what makes something a work of art. Although museum exhibits have traditionally focused on either the cultural or artistic value of a work, “Splendid Heritage” centers itself around the idea of looking at each piece from both perspectives and taking in all aspects of a work of art.
Emma Hansen, senior curator of the Plains Indian Museum at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, said in a statement, “In addition to their intrinsic artistry and creativity, such works are powerful and often multi-layered expressions of cultural knowledge, biographical and historical experiences, and a spirituality that guides all aspects of the artists’ lives.”
The design and ambition of the exhibit also takes into account its many aspects. “Splendid Heritage” aims to cover a broad territory and reach a wide range of people through a variety of means, including touch-screen kiosks and MP3 audio guides. Hands-on activity stations and make-and-take tables are designed to give visitors a chance to work with materials displayed throughout the exhibit and create their own piece of Native American-inspired art.
Additionally, a series of public programs will be held throughout the duration of the exhibition to further cultural awareness of Plains, Plateau, Great Basin and Northeastern American Indians. This series will include a Wednesday lecture series, art classes, family and community workshops and film screenings. The film series seeks to explore and unravel certain myths and fallacies related to American Indian heritage. Brown called specific attention to the film “More than Bows and Arrows,” which explores the true history of Native American peoples, and not the romanticized ideal.
“I think we’ve really created an exhibition that I hope will have widespread appeal for children up to senior citizens,” Brown said. “When people come in and look at just the sheer artistry of the work, they will be knocked back, because it’s absolutely beautiful. Once they get in the door, they’ll see why this is art.”
