"Reclaiming Home: Contemporary Seminole Art" at the Ringling Museum, Part 1

"Sam Jones Stand" by Noah Billie (1993)

Museums and other cultural institutions are coming to terms with their colonial histories. Land acknowledgements in which the Indigenous peoples on whose land an institution sits are recognized have become commonplace. Looted artifacts are being returned by museums to their countries of origin. Some institutions, like the Ringling Museum, are going a step further. The Ringling asked itself, "How can the Museum better support the creative contributions of Native peoples and highlight artistic voices that collectively further the dialogue on Native visual sovereignty?" Its response is "Reclaiming Home: Contemporary Seminole Art," an exhibit featuring the work of Seminole, Miccosukee and mixed heritage artists. It is a fabulous show, with extensive wall cards that provide both historical and artistic context. 

Multiple works by Noah Billie are on display. I love the graphic style of his art. Billie tells the stories of the Seminole people in a way that contrasts with the romanticized (at best) portrayal of Native Americans by many white artists. It was hard to decide which painting -- and story -- to share here. 

In "Sam Jones Stand," Billie highlights the leadership and bravery of Sam Jones (Abiaka) during the Seminole Wars. My Florida history is woefully weak, but the Seminole Wars occurred in part because the U.S. wanted the land on which the Seminoles were living. Ultimately, the Indigenous people who surrendered or were captured were relocated to Oklahoma and other western territories via what has become known as the Trail of Tears. Jones successfully evaded U.S. soldiers and led eight Native American clans into Florida's swamplands, where they lived until the end of the Wars. The members of the Seminole Tribes of Florida today are thus viewed as Jones' descendants. 

"The Three Graces" by Hulleah J. Tsinhnahjinnie (2002)

The photographs from Hulleah J. Tsinhnahjinnie's "Portraits Against Amnesia" series are both beautiful and creative. Again, it was difficult to pick a favorite to share. But how could I resist "The Three Graces," a photograph that pays homage to Tsinhnahjinnie's ancestors while reimagining one of the most famous paintings in art history? 

Tsinhnahjinnie uses her art as a way to re-appropriate Native Americans as subjects. To create the "Portraits Against Amnesia" series, Tsinhnahjinnie started with vintage photo postcards, studio portraits and other pictures of Native Americans. Some were found in family photo albums. Others were located on eBay or other online auction sites. The artist then digitally manipulated the photos to create more visual interest. I love them. To see the entire "Portraits Against Amnesia" series, click here. And for an interesting article about Tsinhnahjinnie, click here. (Don't be put off by the "facts for kids" heading!)  

"Lucy" from Pooshewaache series by Alyssa Osceola (2022-2023) 

Alyssa Osceola is a local artist attending Ringling College. But you'd never know she's still a student from her art. In fact, one of Osceola's paintings is being used to market the exhibit. What a coup for this young artist. 

Osceola's Pooshewaache (Grandma) series is comprised of seven paintings in which the artist traces both familial history and ancestral lineage across six generations of matriarchs. The seventh painting is a self-portrait. The starting point for her homage to these women is a painting of Ematoloye (also known as Polly Parker). Ematoloye was being relocated by the U.S. Army to Oklahoma (then known as "Indian Terroritory") when she escaped from a steamship stopped near Tallahassee. She made a 400 mile journey on foot back to her family near Lake Okeechobee. Polly is considered the matriarch of today's Seminole Tribes of Florida. For a moving story about a recreation of Polly's "Voyage of Tears," click here. 

"Lucy" depicts Polly's daughter, a woman who was a fixture in tribal festivals and events across Florida. What a wonderful face! Although there are no birth or death records for Polly, she is thought to have lived into her 90s. Osceola intentionally depicts each of the subjects in her series head-on, making eye contact with the viewer. We are required to confront their lives and history. The landscape in this painting shows a cypress hammock with various crops growing in a traditional manner. A fus-lvste -- or anhinga -- is roosted in the trees. For more on Osceola and her artwork, click here. The work featured there is very different than her paintings on display at the Ringling. She is a multi-faceted young artist with an exciting future. 

"She is Someone" by Wilson Bowers (2020-2023)

I'll leave you with a disturbing work created by Wilson Bowers. "She is Someone" is so harsh and in your face that it was my instinct to look away. And that's exactly the point. Too many people look away from the violence that takes place against Native women, girls and two-spirit peoples. (The term "two-spirit" is a third gender in many Indigenous cultures and is similar to being non-binary.) 

Violent crimes against these Native people often go unreported and uninvestigated. As the wall card explains, "The high number of unreported cases is caused by several factors, including a major distrust between law enforcement and indigenous communities, complex jurisdictional issues, negative stereotypes of Indigenous women, and silencing of victims through stigmas associated with the crimes perpetrated against them." While this might sound trite, the show "Daily Alaska" with Hilary Swank focused heavily on this issue. I recommend it. 

Stay tuned for Part 2 of "Reclaiming Home: Contemporary Seminole Art." For more information about the exhibit, which runs through September 4th, click here.