Editor’s Note: Press Releases are provided to Yellow Scene. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

Guest-Curated by Indigenous Artist and Activist Gregg Deal 

LONGMONT, Colo. – The Longmont Museum welcomes nationally-recognized activist and artist Gregg Deal (Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe) as guest curator of a new contemporary Native American art exhibition presenting the work of locally and nationally-known Indigenous American artists.

“Duality: Contemporary Works by Indigenous Artists” showcases unique artists who highlight the resurgence of contemporary art for Native people in recent years, including Virgil Ortiz, Nicholas Galanin, JayCee Beyale, Danielle SeeWalker, Cannupa Hanska Luger, Natani Notah, April Holder, Gregg Deal, Chelsea Kaiah and Steven Yazzie.

Art featured in the show includes paintings, ceramics, sculpture, beadwork, video and more.

Deal is a multi-disciplinary artist, activist, and “disruptor” whose work is informed by his Native identity. His art includes exhaustive critiques of American society, politics, popular culture and history.

A major goal of the exhibition is to remind people that Native Americans exist in present-day society and that they are participants in the contemporary art world. According to Deal, visitors will see something different than what they have come to expect from Native American art.

“Indigenous artists have spent a lot of time working in and around perceptions of their existence, and not in the reality of their existence,” Deal said. “This exhibit shares stories, images and art directly from Natives that challenge perceptions of Indigenous people.”

The exhibit title “Duality” speaks to the shared experience of being both an Indigenous, Native person from this continent and simultaneously an American. According to Deal, it involves the balance of mixing tradition and ceremony, while also experiencing the world the same way as the rest of Americans.

“Duality is a place where we can find an enormous amount of beauty and excitement, and offer a unique perspective,” he said.

The exhibition opens the evening of Friday, January 27 and runs through May 14, 2023. Cost is $8 for adults and $5 for students, seniors, and veterans. Longmont Museum members and children age 3 and under are free. Admission is only 25 cents with a qualifying EBT or SNAP card.

Maske by Danielle SeeWalker

PUBLIC OPENING RECEPTION
Friday, January 27, 6–8 pm
$8 adults, $5 students/seniors, children 3 and under free, Museum members free

Be among the first to explore the new exhibit and enjoy a night of culture. Complimentary appetizers provided by Indigenous-owned Four Directions Cuisine; cash bar. Buy tickets online at longmontmuseum.org, at the door, or by calling 303-651-8374.

Members of the Longmont Museum’s Giving Club are invited for a private preview and tour of the exhibit with curator Gregg Deal prior to the opening. To learn more about how to get involved with the Giving Club, visit longmontmuseum.org and click on Join & Support.

EXHIBITION PROGRAMMING

The work of these Indigenous artists sets the stage for much of the Longmont Museum’s programming this season. These programs are offered in complement to the special exhibition and are designed to enhance learning and enjoyment around the topics covered in the show.  These programs are all held Thursday evenings as part of the Longmont Museum’s Thursday Nights @ the Museum:

Performance: 

The Punk Pan-Indian Romantic Comedy
Thursday, February 2, 7 p.m.; $18/$15/$12
Focused on the music that has moved him throughout his life, Indigenous artist, activist, and curator of the “Duality” exhibition Gregg Deal delivers stories and songs that follow a timeline of struggle, survival and ultimately healing.

An Evening with Contemporary Native American Poets
Thursday, March 16, 7 p.m.; $8/$5
The greater Denver metro area is home to many talented Native American poets. Hear them share their work in an intimate evening of spoken word.

Sacred Art of the Powwow: An Evening of Native American Music & Storytelling
Thursday, March 30, 7 p.m.; $18/$15/$12
Join us for a breathtaking showcase of Native American dance accompanied by local Powwow drum groups, traditional Native American flute, and storytelling featuring Red Feather Woman and members of our local Native artist community.

Dead Pioneers: Live in Concert
Thursday, April 27, 7 p.m.; $18/$15/$12
Featuring “Duality” curator Gregg Deal, Dead Pioneers comes together to play music that is wholeheartedly punk and genuinely honest. Optimistically cynical and purely anti-colonial, the Dead Pioneers challenge everything with a smile and the occasional thumb in the eye. 

Films:

Reel Injun (2009), NR
Thursday, February 9, 7 p.m.; $10/$8/$5
With clips from hundreds of classic and recent Hollywood movies and candid interviews, this film looks at how the myth of “the Injun” has influenced the world’s understanding—and misunderstanding—of Native peoples. 

Short Films by Contemporary Indigenous Filmmakers
Thursday, April 6, 7 p.m.; $10/$8/$5
Experience the diversity of Indigenous movies being made today in this evening of short films by contemporary Native filmmakers as selected by the Indigenous Film & Arts Festival. Screening followed by Q&A.

Talks:

Voices of Change Part 6: Missing & Murdered Indigenous Relatives
Thursday, February 16, 7 p.m.; free, reservations recommended
Indigenous people represent a disproportionate number of the missing and murdered cases in our country. Join us for a conversation with activists working on the front lines to put this to an end. Co-presented with the Longmont Multicultural Action Committee.

Being Double: Native American Artists on Art & Identity
Thursday, March 9, 7 p.m.; free, reservations recommended
Join guest-curator Gregg Deal and artists from the “Duality” exhibition as they share their experiences existing within contemporary American life as artists and Native Americans.

Learn more and get tickets for these events and more by visiting www.longmontmuseum.org by calling 303-651-8374. 

LONGMONT MUSEUM

The Longmont Museum is a center for culture in Northern Colorado where people of all ages explore history, experience art, and discover new ideas through dynamic programs, exhibitions, and events. Regional history, internationally-known artists, and hands-on learning are all part of the mix of exhibitions at the Longmont Museum. Permanent exhibits document the 14,000 years of human history in Longmont and the people who helped to create this community. Special exhibits in the Museum’s main gallery, Portal Gallery, and Swan Atrium change several times a year. Learn more at longmontmuseum.org or visit us at 400 Quail Rd., Longmont, Colo., 80501.