December 15, 2023–April 7, 2024

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CINCINNATI —September 26, 2023—Celebrate the achievements of 33 contemporary Native American and Indigenous Pacific-Rim artists at the center of today’s global studio glass movement. Clearly Indigenous: Native Visions Reimagined in Glass will be on view December 15, 2023–April 7, 2024.

This exhibition features more than 100 works that demonstrate the power of melding Indigenous Traditions, cultural knowledge and contemporary experiences with the aesthetics and properties unique to the medium of glass. Artworks on view illuminate the artists’ interpretations of Indigenous basket, textile and pottery traditions; ancestral stories; and animals of the land, air and sea.

Dan Friday (Lummi), “Haila” Ho Wan Ut Old Peter (Skokomish/Chehalis), Preston Singletary (Tlingit), Tony Jojola (Isleta Pueblo), Carol Lujan (Diné), Priscilla Cowie (Māori) and Djambawa Marawili (Aboriginal Australian) are among the artists included in the exhibition.

Clearly Indigenous originated at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, Santa Fe, New Mexico; the traveling exhibition was curated by Letitia Chambers, Ed.D, and is toured by International Arts & Artists. It is accompanied by a book authored by Chambers and published by the Museum of New Mexico Press, Santa Fe. The exhibition was previously on view at the Wichita Art Museum, Kansas.

According to Dr. Chambers: “The art created by Indigenous artists is not only a personal expression of each artist but also is imbued with their cultural heritage and ways of knowing. Whether reinterpreting traditional stories and designs in the medium of glass or expressing contemporary issues affecting tribal societies, Native glass artists have created a content-laden body of work. The merging of studio glass art with the history and iconography of Indigenous peoples has created a tribal aesthetic that reflects the 21^st Century.”

The exhibition emerges from the historical context of the Native Glass Movement, which began in the 1970s when Lloyd Kiva New (Cherokee)—a founder of the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe, New Mexico—initiated a collaboration with the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) to create accredited, college level courses of study in the arts at IAIA, including a glass blowing program. As a part of this collaboration, RISD sent early-career artist Dale Chihuly to the IAIA to establish the program and build the hot shop that would grow to inspire generations of Indigenous artists to explore the expressive potential of glass. Chihuly was in turn influenced by Native cultures, particularly in his many series of Baskets, as demonstrated by his works included in this exhibition. The Cincinnati Art Museum holds a significant collection of contemporary glass, including several works by Dale Chihuly.

“I am excited to explore, through this exhibition, the collaborative nature of the global studio glass movement and the brilliant work of Indigenous and Pacific-Rim artists creating in this medium today,” says Amy Miller Dehan, CAM Curator of Decorative Arts and Design.

The exhibition will be on view in the Thomas R. Schiff Galleries (234 and 235). Tickets are $12, with discounted rates for students, children and seniors. Save $2 when purchasing tickets online. Admission is free for members. The exhibition will be free for nonmembers every Thursday evening from 5–8 p.m. and on Friday, January 26, February 23, and March 29, 2024 during Art After Dark. Photography is permitted, but no flash.

Upcoming, related events:

Members Opening, 5–7 p.m., Thursday, December 14, 2023, Cincinnati Art Museum

Museum members are invited to view the exhibition before it opens to the public and enjoy light bites and a cash bar. Free for members.

Lecture featuring artist Dan Friday, 7 p.m., Thursday, February 1, 2024, Cincinnati Art Museum

Details to be announced. Tickets will be available on the museum’s website.

CAM Kids Day, 11 a.m.–3 p.m., Saturday, February 3, 2024, Cincinnati Art Museum

Celebrate the exhibition with a day filled with fun for the whole family. Enjoy scavenger hunts, preschool and docent-led activities, family-friendly performances and art-making stops throughout the day. Free. Reservations not required.

Art Together: Art Making for Families with Children Ages 3–5, 10:15–11:15 a.m., Saturday, February 17, 2024, Cincinnati Art Museum

Create together with your little ones in this hands-on art studio designed for early artists. Tickets will be available on the museum’s website.

Family Studio: Art Making for Families with Children Ages 6–12, 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m., Saturday, February 17, 2024, Cincinnati Art Museum

Learn art-making techniques to create a unique work of art. Tickets will be available on the museum’s website.

Gallery Talk Plus, 1–3 p.m., Saturday, March 9, 2024, Cincinnati Art Museum.

Details to be announced. Tickets will be available on the museum’s website.

The 26^th Annual Kreines Lecture for Decorative Art and Design, 2–3 p.m., Sunday, March 10, 2024, Cincinnati Art Museum

Take a deeper dive into Clearly Indigenous: Native Visions Reimagined in Glass with Dr. Letitia Chambers, who conceptualized and curated the exhibition.

Art After Dark, 5–9 p.m., Friday, March 29, 2024, Cincinnati Art Museum

This month’s event will celebrate the exhibition and feature music, food and drinks for purchase. Free. Reservations not required.

Writing Workshop, 1–3:30 p.m., Saturday, April 6, 2024, Cincinnati Art Museum

Join facilitators from our partners at Women Writing for (a) Change. Explore the exhibition then write your reflections through a directed prompt. Tickets will be available through Women Writing for (a) Change.

Schedule subject to change. Visit cincinnatiartmuseum.org for the latest information.

About the Cincinnati Art Museum

The Cincinnati Art Museum is supported by the generosity of individuals and businesses that give annually to ArtsWave. The Ohio Arts Council helps fund the Cincinnati Art Museum with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The Cincinnati Art Museum gratefully acknowledges operating support from the City of Cincinnati, as well as our members.

Free general admission to the Cincinnati Art Museum is made possible by a gift from the Rosenthal Family Foundation. Exhibition pricing may vary. Parking is free. cincinnatiartmuseum.org

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