"Reclaiming Home: Contemporary Seminole Art" at the Ringling Museum, Part 2

Artists featured in "Reclaiming Home" (photo by Daniel  Perales)

"Reclaiming Home: Contemporary Seminole Art" is now on display at the Ringling Museum. The exhibit was mounted in collaboration with the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum of Seminole culture and history located on the Big Cypress Indian Reservation. In the Seminole language, "Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki" means a place to learn and remember. How appropriate. In connection with the opening of the exhibit, the Ringling hosted most of the artists whose work is on display. Many were unfamiliar with the Ringling until they arrived for the event. I wish I could report on what they shared, but I was down with Covid. I understand, though, that it was both incredibly moving and enlightening to hear from these artists directly. And now back to the art. 

"Muscogee (Creek) Hymn" by Elisa Harkins (2019)

When I was looking at the online images of the exhibit, I was particularly intrigued by Elisa Harkins' multi-media work entitled "Muscogee (Creek) Hymn." I am always interested in art that incorporates text, and I was curious about the forms on which the text is written. And then there are the other components of the work. What's going on here? 

Following the passage of the Indian Removal Act in 1830, more than 60,000 Native people were removed from the southeastern United States to "Indian Territory" (Oklahoma) via the Trail of Tears. It was a treacherous journey by land and water, and thousands died from exposure, disease and starvation. Harkins' installation references both these events and the spirit of the Native people forced to make this journey. 

It is thought that the Native people sang hymns to bolster themselves during these travails. The text in Harkins' work contains the words to one of those hymns, written in both the Muscogee language and English. The English reads: "This may be the last time we do not know/The Christians have gone on/Our others have gone on/My sisters have gone on." The language is haunting, and a video features Harkins and Dannie Wesley singing this hymn while wearing the clothing included in the installation. The objects on which the text is written are canoes, an inspired inclusion. For more on Harkins, click here. 

"Mvskoke Boys" by Tony Tiger (2020)

I love the colorful work of Tony Tiger with its embedded images from his father's photography collection. This work shows the Mvskoke (Muscogee) basketball team from Bacone Indian University in Oklahoma circa 1924. Tiger's grandfather Eunah is front and center. In addition to celebrating his grandfather, Tiger's work is a reminder that Native Americans are multi-dimensional people who make contributions to their communities in many ways. Tiger himself has a connection to the school (which is now a tribal college controlled by the tribal nations in Oklahoma). He served for four years as the director of the art department there. 

In 2017, Tiger was awarded the Grand Prize in the annual Trail of Tears Art Show and Sale held in Oklahoma. The show dates back to the 1970s and is the longest running juried Native art competition in the state. To see his winning work, click here. And for more about Tiger and his art, click here. 

Part of "The Last Supper" by C. Maxx Stevens (2011)

I'll leave you with an image from "The Last Supper" by C Maxx Stevens. The installation takes up an entire room. When you enter, your eye naturally goes to a long table overflowing with tantalizing desserts. It's quite beautiful -- until you notice the amputated feet under the table. They are a visceral reminder of the impact of our Western diet on Native peoples.

It is estimated that one out of six Native people will be diagnosed with diabetes during their lifetime. This is more than double the national average. Stevens' installation includes other works highlighting this issue. "Diabetes is an epidemic in Indian Country" reads one work (formatted in the shape of an eye chart). Another work declares, "Traditional Foods are Nutritional" with kernels of corn pictured behind the words. A third contains an artfully arranged image of slices of white bread with dietary facts listed below for white bread, white flour, sugar, lard and salt. It definitely gives you pause. For more images of the installation and some commentary by Stevens, click here. 

"Reclaiming Home: Contemporary Seminole Art" is an exhibit that is worth making an effort to see. The show runs through September 4th. For more information, click here.