- Details
- By Levi Rickert
CHICAGO — Comtemporary Native American fine art graces the walls of the Center for Native Futures (CfNF), in the heart of Chicago's Loop, which held the grand opening of its art gallery on Saturday afternoon. Eager art fans arrived early and by the scheduled time for the event arrived, the galley was packed with members of the Chicago Native American community and members of the public who were excited to see the fine art.
Founded in 2020, the Center for Native Futures, a non-profit fine arts organization operates the gallery with the same name. CfNF grew out a vision to have an art galley so that Native American artists in Chicago could have a place to exhibit their contemporary Native art. Native Americans founded the non-profit, run the organization, and the art gallery. The two leading co-founders were Debra Yepa-Pappan (Jemez Pueblo), CfNF’s director of exhibition & programs and Monica Rickcrt-Bolter (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation) the organization's director of operations,
It is the first Native Amercan art gallery in Chicago. Its prime location is in the heart of Chicago's Loop, directly across the street from alder’s Flamingo sculpture at Federal Square, at 56 West Adams.
"We've never really had a space like this in the city of Chicago. We're here representing. We're in charge. We're the ones representing ourselves here. So, this really means alot to us," Debra Yepa-Pappan (Jemez Pueblo), CfNF’s co-founder and director of exhibition & programs.
Because of a family emergency, Monica Rickcrt-Bolter (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation), CfNF's co-founder and director of operations, was unable to be present on Saturday afternoon, but sent a statement that was read by Yepa-Pappan.
"Far too often Native narratives have been filled with heartache and are restricted to a place in history. We have a future that no longer needs to be shaped by outside limitations." Rickert-Bolter said in her statement.
The Native futures theme is rooted in "Indigenous Futurism" that if often used in science fiction. “Indigenous Futurism isn’t only limited to science fiction; through art, we’re turning visions into reality," Yepa-Pappan explains.
"Indigenous Futurism(s) are artistic means for expanding possibilities and realities by imagining our realities without colonial limitations. The definition of this term is ever-changing and dynamic," reads the CfNF's webstie.
Andrea Carlson (Ojibwe), another co-founder said that visitors may be surprised that the art made by contemporary Native artists may not be consistent with what they have come to expect as being Native American art.
"They're going to be people that show up to this space that may think I don't see this as authentic Native art. To me, it's like: 'It's challenging you and those expectations that you bring to us and you're saddling us with those expectations or stereotypes.' We're allowed to change. We're not monolithic. We're doing different things with different materials that we have access to now and when we're saying different things. So I think that's this space is going to support all that," Carlson told Native News Online. "We can imagine our futures. We can put on the walls what we want to see--and who betten than us?"
Photos by Levi Rickert
More Stories Like This
Q+A: Waha Delormier on Elevating Indigenous Representation in Fashion and FilmQ+A: Rob Pero on Indigenous Wisdom and Climate Advocacy in Upcoming Film 'The 7th'
Top Native Chefs Will Be Featured at American Indian College Fund NYC Event
Here's What's Going in Indian Country, April 19th— 25th
2024 Sundance Institute Native Filmmakers Lab Kicks Off April 24
Native Perspective. Native Voices. Native News.
We launched Native News Online because the mainstream media often overlooks news that is important is Native people. We believe that everyone in Indian Country deserves equal access to news and commentary pertaining to them, their relatives and their communities. That's why the story you’ve just finished was free — and we want to keep it that way, for all readers. We hope you'll consider making a donation to support our efforts so that we can continue publishing more stories that make a difference to Native people, whether they live on or off the reservation. Your donation will help us keep producing quality journalism and elevating Indigenous voices. Any contribution of any amount — big or small — gives us a better, stronger future and allows us to remain a force for change. Donate to Native News Online today and support independent Indigenous-centered journalism. Thank you.
