CHICAGO — The Center for Native Futures will host the opening reception for its newest untitled exhibition on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at its gallery space at 56 W. Adams St.
The event will begin with a Native community hour from 3 to 4 p.m., followed by a public reception from 4 to 6:30 p.m. – CDT.
The exhibition features the work of Hattie Lee Mendoza (Cherokee), Melissa Melero-Moose (Northern Paiute/Modoc), and Sean Chandler (Aaniiih – Gros Ventre) In collaboration with CfNF Director of Exhibitions Debra Yepa-Pappan, the group chose not to title the show, allowing the artwork to stand on its own.
Mendoza describes her work as “a flux of mediums and objects in constant conversation.” She creates collages using gifted or found materials from her communities, incorporating Cherokee basketry, pottery and beadwork patterns to reflect her cultural background.
Melero-Moose’s work explores place, identity and memory, drawing on basketry shapes and color schemes from the regions where she lives. She uses organic materials and experimental acrylic mixtures to produce highly textured basketry-inspired patterns and forms on two-dimensional surfaces.
Chandler works on large-scale, unstretched canvas, creating paintings that explore themes of concealment while grappling with the preservation of cultural identity in contemporary society. His work draws from Aaniiih imagery and the concept of being a “free” human being to express his lived experience.
“Together these three artists construct spaces in the Indigenous mind, building from light, memory, weaving, and paint,” said Noelle Garcia, a CfNF staff member and artist.
Organizers say the reception is designed to provide an opportunity for artists to engage with Chicago’s Native community in a more intimate setting. Following the community hour, the public is invited to meet the artists and celebrate over food and drinks.
The exhibition runs from March 28 through July 25, 2026. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Center for Native Futures is a nonprofit, all-Native artist-operated gallery and makerspace that is free and open to the public.
