The Denver Art Museum’s Northwest Coast and Alaska Native arts collection, a strength within the renowned collection of the Indigenous Arts of North America, is on view in a reimagined, immersive gallery space that showcases works by Indigenous artists from the western coastal region of North America, stretching from Puget Sound to southeastern Alaska. Featuring more than 80 objects, the gallery presents a range of artists and creative histories from the region, emphasizin individual artists as creators while also tracing the ongoing continuum and dynamic innovation of Indigenous artists into the present day. Expanding upon this approach, visitors have the opportunity to explore several spaces that highlight the communities and places that ground artists and their practices.

The Northwest coast gallery is organized into thematic groupings that explore the rich histories, cultures, and artistic creativity of the region’s Indigenous communities. On view are objects that demonstrate the ways in which Indigenous artists encode their works with cultural knowledge, and that highlight the concepts of community and place. The gallery also incorporates immersive and architectural elements, underscoring the importance of ceremonial space to those cultures.

The Alaska native gallery space spotlights the work of artists from this region, with a focus on the reciprocal relationship between Indigenous peoples and the land and the animals that inhabit it. Objects on view include protective garments made from animal skins, fur, and intestines, reflecting concepts of regeneration and transformation that inform many Alaska Native worldviews and ways of living. Tracing the way in which these elements continue to inform present practices, the installation includes work by contemporary artists who honor relationships with land and animals by using local materials. Works and insights by featured artists, including Sonya Kelleher-Combs, bring Indigenous voices to the visitor experience