Indigenous scholars Kendra Greendeer (Ho-Chunk) and Dakota Mace (Diné) co-curate an exhibition exploring material interrelationships among cultures with long histories of exchange throughout the Americas. From the Andes to the Great Lakes, textiles reflect cultural narratives of community and tradition. This exhibit analyzes select textiles from the Helen Louise Allen Textile Collection and the Little Eagle Arts Foundation, a Ho-Chunk arts organization, to provide a deeper understanding of the lifeways, movement, and stories of these objects. It is through these intersections that scholars may trace Native cultural practices and oral traditions throughout the western hemisphere.
Related Events
- Opening Reception. Thursday, September 19, 2019. 5-7PM CT.
- MMoCA Gallery Night Flash Tours. Friday, October 4, 2019. 5-9PM CT.
- Weaving Workshop with Ho-Chunk Artist Bonnie Bird and the Little Eagle Arts Foundation. Friday, October 25, 2019. 10AM-1PM CT.
- Printmaking Workshop with John Hitchcock and Jason Ruhl. Thursday, November 14, 2019. 5-7PM CT.
- More Than A Word Documentary Screening. Wednesday, November 20, 2019. 6:30-8:30PM CT.
- UW-Madison Elder-in-Residence, Mary Louise Defender-Wilson: “Everyone’s Earth Lecture: The Power of Storytelling & Traditional Ecological Knowledge.” Thursday, November 21, 2019. 7-8PM CT.
Related Links
- Co-Curator Kendra Greendeer’s Academic Page
- Little Eagle Arts Foundation (LEAF)
- Co-Curator Dakota Mace’s Website
Related Press
- Radio Chipstone Interview with Curators, Part I
- Radio Chipstone Interview with Curators, Part II
- The Badger Herald Feature
- SoHE Facebook Live stream for Wisconsin’s first Indigenous Peoples’ Day
- Radio Chipstone interview with Ho-Chunk Weaver Bonnie Bird
- Search social media for hashtags: #Intersections #LMTGallery
Related Images
“As Indigenous curators, we felt that it was important to create an exhibition that came from an Indigenous perspective. We wanted to provide a new window to recognize and acknowledge the complexity and interconnectedness of Indigenous peoples through textiles.”
–Co-curators Greendeer and Mace
“Intersections…” was originally installed in the Lynn Mecklenburg Textile Gallery and on view from September 5 – December 6, 2019. With COVID-19 gallery closures in the summer of 2020, selections were re-developed as an online exhibition with support from the Anonymous Fund. The exhibition was developed with the generous support of honorary curators Jane and David Villa and is part of a series of exhibitions in celebration of the Helen Louise Allen Textile Collection’s 50th Anniversary.
In 2019, the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Human Ecology launched a yearlong anniversary celebration of the Helen Louise Allen Textile Collection. Over the past half century, the collection has grown from an original 4,000-piece gift to more than 13,000 objects that have inspired and informed thousands of students, researchers, historians, and textile aficionados. The 50-year celebration began on January 27, 2019, with the opening of new Lynn Mecklenburg Textile Gallery, a space dedicated to year-round displays of the collections. Activities continue into 2019 with a calendar of public exhibitions, symposia, lectures, and public workshops.