In 2022, Canada’s MacKenzie Art Gallery unveiled Radical Stitch, the largest exhibition of contemporary Indigenous bead art ever presented in North America. The exhibition has proven to be a smash hit that is now on its sixth stop at the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art—its only stop in the United States.
The exhibition will highlight bead works from some of the top artists working today, including many who use a “radical” and contemporary look that loops in everything from “pop culture references, current issues such as food sovereignty, Indigenous Futurism, and artworks that re-envision the past, present and future through a sometimes sci-fi lens,” the museum notes.
Jean Marshall (Anishinaabe), Gitigan | Garden, Bandolier Bag, 2015, glass beads, ribbon, metal jingles, wool cloth, ric rac. Indigenous Art Collection, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. MacKenzie Art Gallery, 2022. Photo: Don Hall, courtesy of the MacKenzie Art Gallery.
Jennine Krauchi (Métis), Beaded coat/muff/hat, 2022, fabric, fur, beads. Indigenous Art Collection, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. Photo: Don Hall, courtesy of the MacKenzie Art Gallery.
“The artworks in this exhibition hold a visual potency that’s impossible to capture in a photograph,” says Laura Fry, Eiteljorg vice president for curatorial affairs and collections. “When viewed in person, these meticulous details and faceted surfaces are dazzling to behold—and contain meaningful connections to both global exchange and cultural resilience.”
Artists in the exhibition include Katherine Boyer (Métis), Jean Marshall (Anishinaabe), Jennine Krauchi (Métis), Nico Williams (Aamjiwnaang First Nation Anishinaabe), Bev Koski (Anishinaabe), Hannah Claus (Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte) and many others. Artists whose works are celebrated in Radical Stitch represent distinct geographies and life experiences that shape their bead art practices. Seven of the artists are also past recipients of the Eiteljorg Contemporary Art Fellowship, and the museum has other examples of their bead art in its permanent collections.
Katherine Boyer (Métis), The Sky Vest, 2021, seed beads on smoked moosehide, 48 x 24 x 10”. Collection National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. © Katherine Boyer. Photo: Don Hall, Courtesy MacKenzie Art Gallery.
Bev Koski (Anishinaabe), Disneyland, California #1, 2014, beads, thread, found object. Indigenous Art Collection, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada.
Radical Stitch opens April 12 at the Indianapolis museum that is known for its large and exceptional collection of Native American objects. In addition to the artwork that will be on display, the Eiteljorg will also host special programming to support the exhibition. Events kick off with an artist meet-and-greet on April 10, a members-only opening celebration on April 11 and a variety of events for the public opening on April 12, including a gallery talk with the curators and artists, a panel discussion and art demonstration.
For a detailed schedule of opening events, visit the museum’s website. The exhibition will continue through August 3. —
April 12-August 3, 2025
Radical Stitch
Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art
500 W. Washington Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204 (317) 636-9378, www.eiteljorg.org
Powered by Froala Editor
