Philbrook Museum Showcases Native American Artwork In Exhibit

Monday is Indigenous Peoples' Day and Tulsa’s Philbrook Museum is showcasing works by Native American artists.

The display is called “New Waves: Signals for Change," and features paintings, photography and a sculpture all done by Native artists.

"I think these works of art are particularly fresh and contemporary and will make people sort of think about, maybe even reconsider what they think of Native art,” said Christina Burke, Philbrook Museum Curator of Native American Art.

She said this exhibit highlights work by artists from Oklahoma and all over the country including Montana, California, and New Mexico.

"Who were really pushing the boundaries of what Native Art is and defying expectations of who Native artists are,” Burke said.

Burke said Native American artwork is one of the museum's largest holdings.

"This is only a very small selection of Philbrook's large and diverse collection of Native art,” Burke said. "We have strengths in pueblo pottery, jewelry from the Southwest, baskets from all over North America, paintings, pueblo carvings, clothing, cultural arts."

She said if the artist is Native, then their work is considered Native art, regardless of the context.

"Whether they're a painter, a sculptor, a photographer, jeweler, film maker, performance artist, musician, etc.,” Burke said.

There's another gallery featuring drawings by the late Native American artist Rick Bartow. He gifted them to the museum in 2015, and Burke said it's the first time they're part of an exhibit.

The Philbrook Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday.

The “New Waves: Signals for Change” exhibit will be open until March.