Dara Friedman’s three-channel video installation Mother Drum (2016) is projected onto a single wall in Gallery 5 in a continuous loop that interweaves footage of individual dancers, groups of drummers, and animals. Vibrant monochromatic blocks of color interrupt the experience to heighten awareness—inviting viewers to look for connections across time, place, and cultures.

Filmed in collaboration with participants at the Swinomish Reservation in Washington, Coeur d’Alene Reservation in Idaho, and Crow Agency Reservation in Montana, Mother Drum features Shuel-let-qua Q:olosoet dancing the Jingle Dress Dance separate from ceremonial events. The resulting work captures the resonant power of communal acts and examines the visibility of indigenous histories by pairing traditional dances with editing techniques that multiply and complicate the images.

AAM exhibitions are made possible by the Marx Exhibition Fund. General exhibition support is provided by the Toby Devan Lewis Visiting Artist Fund. Support for Dara Friedman’s Mother Drum is provided by the Etkin Family Digital Media and Moving Image Fund. Additional support is provided by the AAM National Council.