Eiteljorg Museum Of American Indians And Western Art Inc

TO INSPIRE AN APPRECIATION AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE ART, HISTORY AND CULTURES OF THE AMERICAN WEST AND THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF NORTH AMERICA. THE EITELJORG MUSEUM COLLECTS AND PRESERVES WESTERN ART AND NATIVE AMERICAN ART AND CULTURAL OBJECTS OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY, AND SERVES THE PUBLIC THROUGH ENGAGING EXHIBITIONS, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, CULTURAL EXCHANGES, AND ENTERTAINING SPECIAL EVENTS.

EXHIBITIONSTHE MUSEUM PRESENTED A VARIED SLATE OF EXHIBITIONS IN 2021 INCLUDING "HARD TWIST: WESTERN RANCH WOMEN", A PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBIT FEATURING THE EVOCATIVE AND BEAUTIFUL WORK OF PHOTOGRAPHER (AND MONTANA RANCHER) BARBARA VAN CLEVE, AND "LAUGHTER AND RESILIENCE: HUMOR IN NATIVE AMERICAN ART" WHICH WAS ORGANIZED BY THE WHEELWRIGHT MUSEUM OF AMERICAN INDIAN ART IN SANTA FE, NM. THE WHEELWRIGHT ALLOWED US TO ADD WORKS FROM THE EITELJORG COLLECTION TO THE EXHIBIT. FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, ALL OF THE PURCHASE AWARD WINNING ARTWORKS FROM FIFTEEN YEARS OF QUEST FOR THE WEST WAS INCORPORATED INTO THE WESTERN ART GALLERIES HIGHLIGHTING THESE NEWER ADDITIONS TO THE COLLECTION. HOOSIER HOLIDAY FAVORITE, "JINGLE RAILS: THE GREAT WESTERN ADVENTURE" EXPERIENCE CLOSED OUT THE YEAR. THE CORE NATIVE AMERICAN GALLERIES CLOSED FOR RENOVATION/REINSTALLATION IN THE SUMMER OF 2021 BUT NATIVE AMERICAN ART AND CONTENT CONTINUED TO BE AVAILABLE TO VISITORS IN SPECIAL EXHIBITS INCLUDING NATIVE AMERICAN CUSTOMARY ART 101, WHICH FEATURED NATIVE BEADWORK, POTTERY, BASKETRY, JEWELRY AND OTHER WORKS; AND POWERFUL WOMEN II WHICH FEATURED CONTEMPORARY ART BY WOMEN ARTISTS, MANY OF THEM NATIVE. 2021 WAS A FELLOWSHIP YEAR, MEANING THAT THE BIENNIAL EITELJORG CONTEMPORARY ART FELLOWSHIP WAS THE FEATURED SPECIAL EXHIBIT STARTING IN NOVEMBER. THE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM PROVIDES ONE INVITED AND FOUR SELECTED NATIVE AMERICAN OR FIRST NATIONS FELLOWS WITH A $25,000 CASH AWARD AND INCLUDES A GROUP EXHIBITION, PUBLIC OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE WITH THE ARTISTS, A SCHOLARLY CATALOGUE, AND SUPPORT FOR THE MUSEUM TO PURCHASE EXAMPLES OF EACH ARTIST'S WORK.

PUBLIC PROGRAMSA VARIETY OF PROGRAMS WERE OFFERED IN 2021 BOTH VIRTUALLY AND IN-PERSON AS THE MUSEUM GRAPPLED WITH THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC. THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF 2021, PROGRAMS WERE OFFERED EXCLUSIVELY IN A VIRTUAL FORMAT. THESE PROGRAMS INCLUDED LIVE ARTIST TALKS AND DEMONSTRATIONS, WORKSHOPS, VIRTUAL GALLERY TOURS, FILM SCREENINGS, PANEL DISCUSSIONS, AND BOOK CLUB MEETINGS. IN JUNE 2021, WITH THE SOCIAL DISTANCING AND MASKING MANDATES STILL IN PLACE, THE MUSEUM BEGAN THE TRANSITION BACK TO IN-PERSON PROGRAMMING, THOUGH LARGE-SCALE PROGRAMS LIKE JUNETEENTH AND DA DE MUERTOS ADDED OUTDOOR COMPONENTS TO SAFELY ACCOMMODATE LARGER CROWDS. PROGRAMMING HIGHLIGHTS THROUGH THE SECOND HALF OF 2021 INCLUDED THE RETURN OF THE POPULAR VISITING / IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM, AN AWARD-WINNING SPIRIT & PLACE FESTIVAL EVENT CALLED THRUTHSGIVING: USING FOOD TO DISMANTLE A COLONIAL MYTH, AND THE RETURN OF THE POPULAR ANNUAL DA DE MUERTOS COMMUNITY CELEBRATION WITH OVER 3500 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE BOTH IN-PERSON AND VIA A LIVESTREAM. RECOGNIZING THAT MANY PEOPLE ENJOYED THE MUSEUM'S VIRTUAL OFFERINGS, EFFORTS WERE MADE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO CONTINUE OFFERING PROGRAMS LIKE THE ARTIST TALK SERIES, GALLERY TOURS, ART WORKSHOPS, BOOK CLUB MEETINGS AND OTHER PROGRAMS IN A VIRTUAL OR HYBRID FORMAT.

FESTIVALS AND EVENTSBECAUSE OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC RESTRICTIONS, THE EITELJORG MUSEUM WAS UNABLE TO HOLD THE INDIAN MARKET AND FESTIVAL IN PERSON IN 2021, BUT QUICKLY PIVOTED TO OFFERING A VIRTUAL INDIAN MARKET, WHERE COLLECTORS COULD CONNECT VIA THE MUSEUM WEBSITE WITH NATIVE ARTISTS, PURCHASE THEIR ART AND WATCH LIVE PERFORMANCES, OVER THE COURSE OF TWO WEEKS, JUNE 14-28, 2021. DURING THIS TIME FRAME, MUSEUM HOSTED 14 LIVE VIRTUAL EVENTS INCLUDING MUSICAL PERFORMANCE, ARTIST TALKS AND DEMONSTRATIONS. PATRONS AND ARTISTS ALIKE OVERWHELMINGLY APPRECIATED THE VIRTUAL INDIAN MARKET & FESTIVAL EXPERIENCE AND CONTINUED SUPPORT, WITH ONE ARTIST COMMENTING "VERY NICELY DONE AND AS AN ARTIST VERY APPRECIATIVE FOR YOUR EFFORTS. MIIGWETCH!"