As part of the MLK Days of Dialogue, panelists shared their personal convictions, as well as their purpose to engender a venue in which respect and open-mindedness would allow public attendees to offer genuine comments and questions.
“I think MLK Days of Dialogue is a really important event to talk about some of our challenging history and past and how we can maybe not embrace it, but come to terms and be better as a communal society,” UW Art Museum Curator of Education Katie Christensen said.
Last night, the Art Museum hosted a preview of David Bradley’s artwork followed by a panel discussion delivered by faculty members Nicole Crawford, Caskey Russell and Angela Jaime who each share a passion for Native American art, culture and representation.
“I think art has this way of presenting objects that allow us to accept our past and embrace our future,” said Christensen.
Initially, the panelists discussed Bradley’s work and its significance in the MLK Days of Dialogue setting to present the relevance of social justice, dialogue and fostering an inclusive community even through the powerful medium of paintings and mixed-media.
One of the issues represented in Bradley’s work is the culture of consumerism and exploitation, through depictions of industrial brand signs, the presence of the Lone Ranger and Tonto as well as other symbols of subtle resentment toward the colonization of the Native Americans.
“I think [Bradley] does an excellent job of showing the exploitation of culture and of our people, the way that it has been coopted and regurgitated in a way that sells,” Director of American Indian Studies Angela Jaime said.
Jaime said the authenticity of Bradley’s work reflects the Native American community’s struggle with remaining stalwart in their indigenous identity while living in a “white America.”
“[We’re wary of] anybody who speaks against this patriotism, that ‘Be proud to be American’ and ‘We’re just this melting pot of people’ – kind of mentality,” said Jaime. “[Yet] that is what keep[s] us from being strong and being proud of who we are.”
There appears to be remnants of the 19th century expectation that Native Americans will assimilate, which undercuts the importance of tribal and indigenous identity. The way Natives are portrayed, in Jaime’s opinion, deters America from reality.
“The history books are so wrong,” Jaime said. “There are never narratives, they’re always narratives told by the non-Native person. We’re doing a disservice to our kids – to all our children, by not teaching the truth and the whole story.”
Christensen said, “We make people kind of upend their own assumptions and give people the opportunity to ask questions too. I think that’s when we learn, when we get to question our own background and belief system.”
Attendee Brianna Reeves, an English Education and Religious Studies student, said the panelists did their part in creating an environment that allowed others to start a dialogue and reflect on their personal views coming into conjunction with the social issues at hand.
“I really appreciate[d] the chance to have conversations about diversity with people that know what they’re talking about and who also can offer a perspective that I, as a white Wyomingite, don’t often get,” said Reeves. “I hope events like this will allow students of the university who don’t have a diverse background to better empathize with the struggles of those who do. We’re the Equality State. It’s great we can learn about new ways to help other people and lift them up.”
