Native American Creativity Now on View at the Muscarelle
By Holly Gardner, Marketing & Events Intern
The Muscarelle Museum of Art invites us to look beyond two dimensional “traditional” artwork by Indigenous artists with “Expanded Horizons: Native American Creativity at the Intersection of Culture and Art,” on view June 28 – October 13, 2025. The exhibition asks visitors to consider the impact of major movements in the wider art world leading to new directions in media, aesthetics and creativity by Native American artists. “Expanded Horizons” features photographs, paintings, pottery and other materials showcasing the incredible diversity of creativity by Native artists in the museum’s permanent collection.
“Expanded Horizons” is curated by Danielle Moretti-Langholtz, Curator of Native American Art at the Muscarelle and Director of the American Indian Resource Center at William & Mary. This exhibition is the culmination of 18 years of scholarship and curatorial work that began after an eye-opening conversation with renowned artist Jaune Quick-to-See Smith following the Muscarelle’s 2007 exhibition “Jaune Quick-to-See Smith: Contemporary Native American Paintings and the Response to Colonization.” Influenced by Smith’s efforts to broaden the acceptance of Indigenous artists working beyond the confines of narrowly defined American Indian art motifs, the Muscarelle embarked upon a long-term strategy to expand the museum’s collection of contemporary Native American art.
“It is a privilege to help shape the museum’s acquisition of Native American art. While we’ve made great strides in collecting works by artists suggested by Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, we have also added works by up-and-coming Native artists to our collection. It is noteworthy that ‘Expanded Horizons’ will include some Native American works not shown previously. Additionally, as a university museum, we are mindful of building a collection that supports our overall teaching mission and courses in Native Studies, Anthropology, Art and Art History and related disciplines,” remarked Moretti-Langholtz.
“Expanded Horizons” features more than 60 works by 37 Native American artists from across the United States. Emmi Whitehorse’s colorful abstract canvases of microbial life in the soil on the Navajo Reservation invite us to reconsider Diné perspectives about their tribal lands. Michael Namingha’s innovative use of digital photography and shaped acrylic reminds us that “Indian Country” is not isolated from advances in technology. Working in glass instead of the more traditionally used wood, Preston Singletary embraces the form line aesthetics of his Tlingit community to create the translucent “Raven,” depicting an important figure in Northwest Coast stories. Inspired by traditional Native American beadwork, Starr Hardridge demonstrates his skill in pointillism while producing a more traditionally themed scene with running deer and scissor-tailed messenger birds. Other artists, such as George Morrison, take inspiration from forests, lakes and trees to create master works of abstract art.
“Since my arrival as director, we have made a concerted effort to broaden the representation in our collection and we continue to be very successful in this effort,” explained Director David Brashear. “We have a world class collection of works by prominent Native American artists, and we have prioritized expanding this important part of our permanent collection.”
All artists in “Expanded Horizons” offer insights about Indigenous life, cosmologies and experiences, and many situate their work within a specific Native geography. All celebrate the survivance and unbroken cultural continuity of Indigenous communities in the contemporary world. All expand our horizons with their artistry.
Related Events:
Docent-led Tours – Beginning July 15, Muscarelle docents will lead 30-minute tours of the exhibition Tuesday through Saturday at 2:00 PM. No registration needed.
