News Release: Hispanic Heritage Month and Native American Heritage Month celebrated at Eiteljorg
Variety of immersive cultural experiences and events for guests will broaden horizons
Git-Hoan Dancers will perform Oct. 14 at the Eiteljorg Museum. Photo credit: Steve Quinn
INDIANAPOLIS – The Eiteljorg Museum celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month and Native American Heritage Month with cultural performances and activities visitors will not want to miss. On Oct. 14, the museum highlights Native cultures of the Pacific Northwest during Indigenous Peoples’ Day events. On Oct. 26, the museum observes Día de Muertos with its popular community celebration. Admission is free on both dates.
“As a museum that focuses on the arts and histories of the Indigenous peoples of North America and all the diverse cultures of the American West, the Eiteljorg in October and November will be a hub for art, music, dance and storytelling. With our sponsors, we are excited to welcome community members to these family-friendly events to celebrate cultures and expand their understanding of diverse artistic traditions,” Eiteljorg President and CEO Kathryn Haigh said.
Upcoming events include:
- AHORA: A Mexican and Latin American Art and Design Pop Up Event: Saturday, Oct. 12, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with the Eiteljorg and community partner Arte Mexicano en Indiana. Guests can shop from local art vendors and explore a pop-up gallery of Latino arts. Meet internationally acclaimed artist Luis Fitch, the esteemed designer of the official Dia de Muertos U.S. postage stamp, who will speak at noon and 3 p.m. This event is included with regular admission.
This event is presented by the Indiana Latino Artist Network, an initiative of Arte Mexicano en Indiana through the support of the Indy Arts Council, Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation, Glick Philanthropies and The Indianapolis Foundation.
David R. Boxley (Tsimshian)
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- Indigenous Peoples’ Day Community Celebration:
Monday, Oct. 14, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Enjoy free admission to the Eiteljorg to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day. This year’s event focuses on the Native art of the Pacific Northwest and will build interest in the upcoming exhibition Preston Singletary: Raven and the Box of Daylight. Experience the high-energy Git-Hoan Dancers (People of the Salmon) as they present through dance the stories of the Tsimshian people of southern Alaska. Guests can enjoy talks and art demonstrations by carver, dancer and author David Albert Boxley (Tsimshian), his son, Formline artist and culture bearer David Robert Boxley (Tsimshian), and beadwork artist and weaver Kandi McGilton (Tsimshian). Participate in guided tours of the museum’s Native American Galleries led by Eiteljorg curators Dorene Red Cloud (Oglala Lakota) and Monica Raphael (Anishinaabe / Sičáŋğu Lakota).
The Día de Muertos Community Celebration at the Eiteljorg on Oct. 26 includes music and dance groups.
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- Día de Muertos Community Celebration: Saturday, Oct. 26, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Observed in Mexico, Latin America, the U.S. and elsewhere to remember loved ones who have passed on, Día de Muertos is also known as Day of the Dead. The Eiteljorg’s community celebration Oct. 26 is a collaboration between the museum, Arte Mexicano en Indiana and Nopal Cultural. Visitors can enjoy music and dance performances and cultural presentations, shop in the Mercado and try art-making activities. An all-female mariachi orchestra from Chicago, Mariachi Sirenes, will perform twice that afternoon. Artist in residence Richard Gabriel, Jr., will demonstrate his Spanish Colonial tinworking art. Visitors will be fascinated by the Community Art and Altar Exhibit in the Ruth Lilly Theater, featuring elaborately decorated altars (ofrendas) created by community groups that will be on view Oct. 7-Nov. 3. Guests also can enjoy art by Luis Fitch.
Sponsors of the Día de Muertos Community Celebration include Arte Mexicano en Indiana, Citizens Energy Group, Regions Bank, Indiana Corn Marketing Council, Nopal Cultural, and the Consulado de México en Indianápolis. Marian University’s Latino Leadership Initiative also sponsors the Community Art and Altar Exhibit.
Artist in residence Dante Biss-Grayson (Osage) is a fashion designer.
Image courtesy of the artist.
- Mini-fashion show at the Eiteljorg with Native fashion designer Dante Biss-Grayson, Saturday, Nov. 9, 7 – 8:30 p.m.
The Eiteljorg’s artist in residence program provides opportunities for Native artists in a variety of disciplines to demonstrate and present their work to the public. This year during Native American Heritage Month, the Eiteljorg will host its first-ever fashion show on Nov. 9. Artist in residence Dante Biss-Grayson (Osage) designs fashions through his company, the Sky-Eagle Collection. Models wearing his designs on the runway will showcase the beauty and diversity of Native fashion. This is a ticketed event ($30 general admission, or $50 VIP admission). Biss-Grayson’s artist residency at the Eiteljorg is Nov. 6-9, and he will participate in events with community groups.
The Dante Biss-Grayson mini-fashion show is presented by the Purdue University Native American Educational and Cultural Center, and the Indiana Native American Indian Affairs Commission. The Eiteljorg’s artist in residence program is also sponsored by Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis, and the Drs. Susan and Robert Stephens Artist in Residence Fund.
Image courtesy of the artist.
- Artist in residence: Bobby Silas, Nov. 12 – 23
Bobby Silas (Hopi Tribe) is a creative potter reviving ancient designs for his contemporary pottery, for which he has received multiple awards. During his residency at the Eiteljorg, Silas will hold open studios on Nov. 19 and 23, where guests can observe and learn from artist. Those events are included with price of admission. Silas will lead a public workshop on Nov. 16 and an Eiteljorg Kids workshop Nov. 23.
Preston Singletary (Tlingit, born 1963), Raven Steals the Sun (Gagaan Awutáawu Yéil), 2008, blown, hot-sculpted, and sand-carved glass. TX.2018.4.51, [VA.2009.28] Collection of Museum of Glass, gift of the artist. Image courtesy of the artist and Museum of Glass, Tacoma.
These efforts culminate in the major new exhibition the Eiteljorg will host in the fall and winter, Preston Singletary: Raven and the Box of Daylight. Opening Nov. 8 and continuing through March 9, the critically acclaimed exhibition features more than 60 glass sculptures by Singletary (Tlingit), a Seattle-based contemporary artist. His exhibition retells a story from Tlingit oral tradition using glass, soundscapes, lighting effects and video. Included with regular Eiteljorg admission, Raven and the Box of Daylight is organized by the artist and the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Washington. The Singletary exhibition is sponsored at the Eiteljorg by the Arthur Jordan Foundation, Robert Lehman Foundation, Raymond James and Citizens Energy Group.
For details on all museum programs, visit Eiteljorg.org/Events.
About the Eiteljorg
For 35 years, the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art has been an integral part of the cultural fabric of Indianapolis and scenic White River State Park. The Eiteljorg Museum explores the intersection of the arts, histories and cultures of the past and present by sharing the diverse stories of the American West and the Indigenous Peoples of North America. Located on the Central Canal at 500 West Washington St., the Eiteljorg is a 501c3 nonprofit organization.
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Media Contacts
Bryan Corbin
Public Relations Manager
317.275.1315
bcorbin@eiteljorg.com
Tori Satchwell
Marketing and Communications Intern
317.275.1367
tsatchwell@eiteljorg.com
Brooke Sullivan
Digital Marketing Manager
317.275.1388
bsullivan@eiteljorg.com