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The 1946 painting, “Maple Sugar Time,” by Patrick DesJarlait, is one of the older works in the exhibition.
Photo provided by the Detroit Institute of Arts
A variety of works made during roughly the last four decades are on view in “Contemporary Anishinaabe Art.”
Photo provided by the Detroit Institute of Arts
DETROIT — Cultural history and traditions meet modern influences in “Contemporary Anishinaabe Art: A Continuation,” on display through April 5 at the Detroit Institute of Arts.
The first major exhibition of Native American art at the DIA in more than 30 years is rich and varied, showcasing graphic design, beadwork, birchbark creations, painting, pottery, clothing, jewelry, film, photography and more.
Visitors might be surprised to find concert photographs of rock musicians like Iggy Pop and Temple of Void or abstracts, but that’s the point.
The purpose of this exhibition, said DIA Curator of Native American Art Denene De Quintal, was “to show the depth and breadth of contemporary Anishinaabe art and to have the voices of Anishinaabe artists elevated.” Hired in 2019, De Quintal filled a position that had been vacant for more than a decade.
More than 90 pieces by 62 artists from across the Great Lakes region — including Michigan and Canada — are on view. They primarily cover the period of 1983 to 2025, with a few older works that add context.
“It reminds us that Native American artistry is alive and has always been incredible,” said Salvador Salort-Pons, the Mary Anne and Eugene A. Gargaro Jr. director, president and CEO of the DIA.
The exhibition is presented in English and Anishinaabemowin, an original language from the Great Lakes area. De Quintal said there are translations and links to the Anishinaabemowin, so visitors can learn it.
“This is a language that’s almost been lost,” De Quintal said. “So, we’re trying to bring it to the forefront so it can be used.”
Traditional techniques or images like woodworking or the thunderbird are incorporated into works that also reflect the influences of more recent decades, seamlessly weaving the past into the present.
“You can carry and honor your ancestors by being truthful to what’s inside,” said artist Kent Estey.
This is the first national exhibition for Estey, a member of the White Earth Band of the Minnesota Chippewa. He said he lives on the same land where he grew up.
“I was supposed to be a black ash basket maker, but I always wanted to paint,” said Estey, who has an evocative abstract painting in the exhibition.
“My paintings are all about my feelings,” Estey said. “Each piece speaks for itself and it has its own story. Each piece carries the stories of our ancestors and our land.”
Having often felt invisible, Estey said this exhibition makes him and his fellow artists feel truly seen.
“The care that was taken in preparing this (exhibition) is so special,” he said. “This honors us.”
The museum partnered with an advisory committee made up of Ojibwe (Chippewa), Potawatomi (Pottawatomi) and Ottawa (Odawa) artists when assembling the exhibition.
“The DIA has … fostered dialogue and strengthened its commitment to Native American representation,” Salort-Pons said.
De Quintal said this show challenges the narrative about Native American art.
Salort-Pons called this an “unforgettable exhibition.”
“Visitors are going to be inspired,” he continued.
Admission is free with regular museum admission, which means it’s free to residents of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties. The DIA is located at 5200 Woodward Ave. For more information, visit dia.org.
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