This is the first major museum exhibition exclusively devoted to Native women artists from all over the United States and Canada, ranging across time and media. Developed in close cooperation with leading Native artists and historians, the exhibition offers multiple perspectives to enhance understanding of Native art practices.

The approximately 115 objects in the exhibition, including textiles, baskets, jewelry, painting, sculpture, photography, video, and digital art, are organized into sections that reflect why Native women create art. Hearts of Our People not only helps visitors understand the traditional role of Native women artists in serving the cultural, economic, diplomatic, and domestic needs of their communities, but also goes beyond the longstanding convention of treating these artworks as unattributed representations of entire cultures.

The contemporary works on view, in particular, highlight the intentionality of the individual artist and demonstrate how the artist has been influenced by the preceding generations. The exhibition will be accompanied by interactive interpretive “ArtStories” in multiple media, and a scholarly catalogue.