Crafting and Image - Trading Posts and Native American Art Virtual Program November 28

The Institute for American Indian Studies is hosting a special virtual program on Saturday, November 28 at 4:30 p.m. centered around the Institute's new temporary exhibition, Crafting an Image. The Zoom program will kick off with a tour of the new exhibit with Curator, Paul Wegner who will delve into the history of some of the artifacts on display. To register for this event click here.

The new exhibition centers on trading posts as marketplaces where people could go to purchase a myriad of items, from furs to food to rugs. They were a quintessential part of Native trade in the 20th century, particularly when it came to Native art. They shaped the projects of many artists and artisans, urging them to create for the wider American public in ways that they hadn’t done previously.  This exhibition focuses on what happened to these trading posts, and, more importantly, what happened to Native arts as a result?

A highlight of the program will be a live discussion with managers of the Cameron Trade Post in Arizona about the importance of trade posts to Native American Art throughout the post's long history. This historic trading post was established in 1911  by two brothers. At that time the trading post was visited by the Navajo and Hopi locals to barter their wool blankets and livestock for dry goods.  Cameron Trading Post has existed for more than a century and people that work here have done so for generations making their perspectives and insights fascinating.

In addition to the live discussion, there will be the chance to listen to a previously recorded interview with Kwagu’l (Kwakwaka’wakw) artist Calvin Hunt about his work, his family legacy, and the importance of art to indigenous peoples throughout the Americas. This interview is part of IAIS's Native Artist Series, co-sponsored by the Connecticut Community Foundation, which features interviews and lectures by Native artists beginning November 21, 2020. 

About the Institute for American Indian Studies

Located on 15 acres of woodland acres the Institute For American Indian Studies preserves and educates through archeology, research, exhibitions, and programs. They have the 16th c. Algonquian Village, Award-Winning Wigwam Escape, and a museum with temporary and permanent displays of authentic artifacts from prehistory to the present that allows visitors to foster a new understanding of the world and the history and culture of Native Americans. The Institute for American Indian Studies is located on 38 Curtis Road, Washington, CT