The Art of Native American Basketry: A Living Tradition
November 7, 2009 - May 30, 2010
The Art of Native American Basketry: A Living Tradition is a comprehensive exhibition presented by the Autry National Center. Baskets from more than 100 cultures, arranged in eleven geographic regions, will be revealed in this selection of artworks from the world's largest collection of Native American baskets. The exhibition opens November 6, 2009, and runs through May 30, 2010.
More than 250 objects will be on view, ranging in size from small Pomo feather baskets made
for sale to tourists, to massive Apache olla baskets used for storing large quantities of seeds.
Because the works shown have been selected from a remarkably wide-ranging and distinguished
collection, visitors will be able to see how the materials, techniques, and designs of the baskets
vary from region to region, reflecting different physical environments and traditions. Also evident
will be the distinctive styles of individual artists, whose signatures can be instantly recognizable
to other weavers. The Autry has invited thirteen contemporary basketweavers to serve as
consultants in research and planning and will purchase a basket from each consultant to add
to the permanent collection.
The Art of Native American Basketry is drawn from the nearly 14,000 baskets in the collection
of the Southwest Museum of the American Indian, considered to be one of the premier holdings
of its kind in the world. The exhibition will be presented at the Autry’s Museum of the American
West in Griffith Park. Both institutions are part of the Autry National Center, an intercultural
organization dedicated to expanding our understanding of the diverse peoples of the
American West.
Related Programs
Community Basket Program
Saturday, January 16, 2010 (recurring on March 20, 2010)
11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
The Community Basket program offers visitors an opportunity to personally connect with contemporary Native American weavers and to experience what it feels like to weave a basket. Learn fundamental skills and then weave your own row or section within the community baskets.
Sisters Rachel Hess and Shirley Slee, of Miwok & Paiute ancestry, are artists and designers specializing in creating authentic Native American basketry and accessories. Their American Indian heritage runs deep into their designs and inspirations. Their great grandmothers were world-class basket weavers from Yosemite Valley and their mother, from whom they learned to weave, is involved in Native American basketry. This program is tied to the Autry’s current exhibition, The Art of Native American Basketry: A Living Tradition. Free with museum admission.
Native Plants Workshop
Sunday, February 28, 2010
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
This class offers the basics on gardening with California flora. Discover what a “native plant” is and why natives are valuable, and learn about plant communities, planting techniques, establishment, irrigation, pruning, ongoing maintenance and where to see and buy native plants.
This program is tied to the Autry’s current exhibition, The Art of Native American Basketry: A Living Tradition. Free with museum admission.
Community Basket Program
Saturday, March 20, 2010 (Same as January 16 program)
11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
The Community Basket program offers visitors an opportunity to personally connect with contemporary Native American weavers and to experience what it feels like to weave a basket. Learn fundamental skills and then weave your own row or section within the community baskets.
Sisters Rachel Hess and Shirley Slee, of Miwok & Paiute ancestry, are artists and designers specializing in creating authentic Native American basketry and accessories. Their American Indian heritage runs deep into their designs and inspirations. Their great grandmothers were world-class basket weavers from Yosemite Valley and their mother, from whom they learned to weave, is involved in Native American basketry. This program is tied to the Autry’s current exhibition, The Art of Native American Basketry: A Living Tradition. Free with museum admission.
The Art of Native American Basketry: A Living Tradition is sponsored in part by:
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