Celebrate National Native American Heritage Month

Words Matter underscores the diversity of contemporary Native experiences, highlighting artists who combine text and image to chronicle tragedies of history and to convey messages of hope, humor, survival, and prosperity. Untold History showcases Indigenous comic book and graphic novel artists and writers who meld contemporary culture with their rich heritage and identity.

Native peoples’ philosophies on land insist that land and people are inseparable parts of a living spirit. The arrival of Europeans, however, introduced a diametrically opposing worldview based in their interpretations of Christianity and expansionism. Presented in pairings across time and space, the works here serve to visualize these perspectives and remind us that land is much more than the soil beneath our feet.

VMFA has a collection of Native American art that features works from across time and place. The works showcased here represent diverse subject matter and media. Objects in the collection are presented together in the Evans Court Gallery and in the American Art Galleries highlighting under-recognized narratives in American history.

Inspired by baskets created by Native American artists, create your own woven basket with colorful paper.