In Fall 2020, students led by Associate Professor Louise Siddons created a digital project documenting the art exhibition history of Oklahoma State University, with the assistance of Digital Scholarship Librarian Megan Macken. Students used the digitized archive of the student newspaper, the Daily O’Collegian—today the O’Colly— to construct a database of exhibitions held between 1960 and 1999.
Here on the collection blog, we’re featuring reflective essays written by students about their work on this project, based on the research they did to compile the online exhibition history. This week’s essay is by Ren Nunez. It has been edited for length and clarity.
The early 1980s exhibition list is comprised of many student art exhibitions. Not only student art was displayed though; faculty often got to showcase their works in faculty-specific shows. Additionally, some faculty members had their own, more expansive exhibitions. Mediums such as ceramics, etchings, steel sculpture, block prints, wood sculpture, as well as photographs were popular. Throughout this period, it appears Oklahoma State’s goal was to uplift local artists. Expanding upon this goal, Native American art was a popular exhibition topic at the time. Often it seems that most exhibitions were organized by faculty and staff of OSU; the art galllery director, B. J. Smith, was the organizer most listed. Organizations such as the Board of Regents and the SUAB Art Committee were listed as sponsors of exhibitions.
The Native American art exhibition entitled “Indians of Oklahoma,” from 1982, is one of the handfuls of examples of the efforts by local organizers to document history of Native Americans. The artworks displayed were gravures of photographs taken by Edward S. Curtis. Curtis’ project was completed over a span over 20 years; he aimed to detail and capture photographic records of the Native cultures west of the Mississippi. This exhibition included photographs from 19 volumes of Curtis’s 20-volume set. The gravures were made in 1930, after Curtis took the photos in 1927. The preservation and uplifting of Native people were significantly relevant during the first part of the 1980s. Curtis’ gravure entitled “Black Wolf” was one of the many pieces on display in the exhibition.
A Willard Stone exhibition from 1984 is an example of the Stillwater community amplifying a Native person’s creativity. Internationally renowned sculptor Willard Stone gave a wood-sculpting seminar in conjunction with an exhibition of his work hosted by the Stillwater library. After the seminar, a film screening and a Q&A session was held. Stone’s work was also on view in the Bartlett Center, on campus. Stone was of Cherokee descent, and often used Native motifs within his wood sculpture. The significance of his heritage is prominent throughout his works. Something to Believe In and Faith, by Stone, both display themes of nature and life. The Stillwater Public Library hosting an event by such a popular and proudly Cherokee artist is an act of solidarity and support for local artists, as well as Native Americans.
During this time period, there were two cases heard by the Supreme Court involving Native American politics. In 1980 the case of the United States v. Sioux Nation of Indians was heard. This case was determining whether the Sioux people were entitled to compensation with 5% interest since 1877 for the stealing of the Black Hills. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Sioux tribe, which was allocated $17.5 million dollars (United States v. Sioux Nation of Indians, No. 79–639 (June 30, 1980)). The second case of significance heard by the court was the Seminole Tribe v. Butterworth. This case concerned whether tribes could create gambling facilities on their land. The court ruled in favor of the Seminole tribe, establishing that tribes could create gambling facilities. This ruling also established that reservations had greater authority over taxes, judiciaries, and assets (Seminole Tribe of Florida v. Butterworth, No. 80–5496 (October 5, 1981)).
The people organizing these exhibitions appear to have wanted to display local history, as well as current local artists’ success. Because of the timeline of progress made in relation to Native American’s rights as tribes, it seems Oklahoma State was responding to these advancements with support. The Curtis exhibition, centered around the preservation of tribal culture, was an effective start to introduce non-Native locals to original images of tribes. There could have been more exhibitions concerning art done by tribes, of course. The exhibitions during this period were often works done by others concerning Native American populations, rather than by Native Americans. There was a gap in contemporary-style artworks by Native Americans as well.
If I were to propose an exhibition, it would be one centered around Native American locals creating various forms of art. A series of exhibitions showcasing traditional forms of artwork as well as non-traditional art would allow local Native Americans to be seen in their own space. For example, utilizing different events and themes to spotlight various tribes of the individuals that submit their work would allow for a diverse and eclectic view of local artists and their experiences. Pieces centered around generational pain, family stories, personal feelings, and general exploration of art would be essential to showcase. Through viewing these works, people would be able to gather understandings of the way Native American tribes have lived their lives since landmark court decisions. Conclusions on the state of Native experience could be made by people, perhaps opening their minds and hearts to understanding the diversity and struggles of Native American people.
For more on Willard Stone in the OSU Museum of Art collection, see previous blog posts by Lora Webb and Shaylene Thompson.
Oklahoma State University Art Collection 