The art world's long-standing struggle to represent Native American artists and perspectives is gaining momentum with Jeffrey Gibson's groundbreaking exhibit "An Indigenous Present" at the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) in Boston. This show, co-organized by Gibson and Jenelle Porter, shines a light on the work of 15 abstract Native artists, none from Massachusetts tribes, who challenge traditional notions of representation and abstraction.
By centering Native voices and perspectives, "An Indigenous Present" offers a refreshing alternative to Western-centric art institutions. Gibson's curation skillfully untangles these artists from "fine art" rhetoric, bringing together diverse Native culture bearers – visual artists, poets, historians – who share space within Indigenous contexts but are rarely united in Western institutions.
The exhibit features an impressive range of works that defy easy categorization. Sonya Kelliher-Combs' "Salmon Curl" (2023) emulates the texture and color of sanguine salmon flesh with acrylic polymer and reindeer hair, while Mary Sully's portraits of white celebrities reimagined through a Dakota aesthetic lens lampoon the very culture that excluded her.
The show also highlights the work of multidisciplinary artist Kimowan Metchewais, who made abstraction his primary mode of survival as a Native artist. His piece "Chief's Blanket" (2002) evokes the iconic Navajo chief's blanket pattern and relational stories embedded in its form and meaning.
However, not all works are equally successful. Teresa Baker's "Throw It to the Ocean" (2025), for example, relies on astroturf photographs but falls short in execution, feeling sophomoric and lacking refinement. In contrast, Anna Tsouhlarakis' "IF SHE WAS AT THE PARTY, SHE WOULD HAVE DUMPED MORE THAN TEA" (2025) wryly satirizes the unsustainability and whitewashing of U.S. life and history, using materials like IKEA furniture remnants and artificial sinew.
Ultimately, "An Indigenous Present" offers a gift: disquietude for settlers, delight and laughter for Native attendees. The exhibition delivers something beyond representationalism – evolving toward resistance and circumnavigation of the colonial gaze. While some works succeed more than others in translating abstraction's power, the show as a whole succeeds in reflecting Native aesthetics with undeniable visual and conceptual splendor.
Through its bold curatorial vision, "An Indigenous Present" challenges the art world to rethink its relationship with Native American artists and perspectives. By centering Indigenous voices and principles – such as reciprocity and gift economies – the exhibit offers a powerful alternative to Western-centric art institutions. As Kay WalkingStick, a Citizen Band Potawatomi/Cherokee painter whose work appears in the exhibition, notes, "When you move past them, you are encouraged to look at them and stand back and move." The show's success lies in its ability to do just that – inviting viewers to move beyond their preconceptions and engage with Native American art and perspectives on a deeper level.
By centering Native voices and perspectives, "An Indigenous Present" offers a refreshing alternative to Western-centric art institutions. Gibson's curation skillfully untangles these artists from "fine art" rhetoric, bringing together diverse Native culture bearers – visual artists, poets, historians – who share space within Indigenous contexts but are rarely united in Western institutions.
The exhibit features an impressive range of works that defy easy categorization. Sonya Kelliher-Combs' "Salmon Curl" (2023) emulates the texture and color of sanguine salmon flesh with acrylic polymer and reindeer hair, while Mary Sully's portraits of white celebrities reimagined through a Dakota aesthetic lens lampoon the very culture that excluded her.
The show also highlights the work of multidisciplinary artist Kimowan Metchewais, who made abstraction his primary mode of survival as a Native artist. His piece "Chief's Blanket" (2002) evokes the iconic Navajo chief's blanket pattern and relational stories embedded in its form and meaning.
However, not all works are equally successful. Teresa Baker's "Throw It to the Ocean" (2025), for example, relies on astroturf photographs but falls short in execution, feeling sophomoric and lacking refinement. In contrast, Anna Tsouhlarakis' "IF SHE WAS AT THE PARTY, SHE WOULD HAVE DUMPED MORE THAN TEA" (2025) wryly satirizes the unsustainability and whitewashing of U.S. life and history, using materials like IKEA furniture remnants and artificial sinew.
Ultimately, "An Indigenous Present" offers a gift: disquietude for settlers, delight and laughter for Native attendees. The exhibition delivers something beyond representationalism – evolving toward resistance and circumnavigation of the colonial gaze. While some works succeed more than others in translating abstraction's power, the show as a whole succeeds in reflecting Native aesthetics with undeniable visual and conceptual splendor.
Through its bold curatorial vision, "An Indigenous Present" challenges the art world to rethink its relationship with Native American artists and perspectives. By centering Indigenous voices and principles – such as reciprocity and gift economies – the exhibit offers a powerful alternative to Western-centric art institutions. As Kay WalkingStick, a Citizen Band Potawatomi/Cherokee painter whose work appears in the exhibition, notes, "When you move past them, you are encouraged to look at them and stand back and move." The show's success lies in its ability to do just that – inviting viewers to move beyond their preconceptions and engage with Native American art and perspectives on a deeper level.
"The biggest risk is not taking any risk..." 
We need more shows like this one, where Indigenous voices are finally being heard. It's about time we shift our focus from representation to reciprocity and gift economies! 
The art world needs a wake-up call, and I'm glad it's happening now. Bring on the disruption! 
They're shinin' a light on Indigenous voices and perspectives, but what about all the talented Native American artists from Massachusetts? It's like they're tryin' to create a separate canon or somethin'. 
. I mean, think about it - we're still debating which Native artists deserve representation, but at the same time, we're seeing more Indigenous people taking matters into their own hands and creating art that's unapologetically theirs 
. It's like the old guard is finally being forced to evolve or get left behind 
. I mean, we're talking about curators who are intentionally de-centering Western perspectives and amplifying Native voices 
. It's like they're asking us to question our own assumptions and biases - and that's a conversation worth having 
.
. I mean, Sonya Kelliher-Combs' "Salmon Curl" is like a work of art and a call to action all at once 
. And Anna Tsouhlarakis' satirical take on U.S. history is like a much-needed slap in the face 
.
. It's an invitation to move beyond our preconceptions and engage with Indigenous art and perspectives on a deeper level. So, let's do that, folks! Let's listen up and see what we can learn from each other 
it's like, we need more of this kind of art in our museums and galleries, not just as a tokenistic gesture but as a way to really challenge our own assumptions and biases.
I'm loving how it's not your typical representation of Native American art, but more of an indigenous voice taking center stage. The way Gibson has curated this show is genius, bringing together these talented artists and writers to share their perspectives on identity, culture, and survival.
The use of materials, like IKEA furniture remnants in Anna Tsouhlarakis' piece, is a brilliant commentary on consumerism and cultural appropriation.
I'm all about celebrating those underground artists who are pushing boundaries, you know? And Gibson's got some real game-changers lined up. Like, have you seen Sonya Kelliher-Combs' work? The textures, the colors, it's like she's taking us on a wild ride through Indigenous culture 
. It's like, we're not just talking about art anymore; we're talking about culture, identity, and community.
And Mary Sully's portraits are so witty 
. Some of the works feel like they're still figuring things out, but overall, this show is all about pushing boundaries and challenging the status quo. And that's something to celebrate 
!
but gotta say, teresa baker's piece falls flat tbh 
gotta give it to the artist tho for trying something new. the way anna tsouhlarakis uses ikea furniture remnants is genius 