“Our Land, Our Art” Virginia Native artists reclaim space
As a companion to an upcoming conversation between art curators, the Cabell Screen displays “Indigital”, which showcases work by Virginia Native artists.
The Humanities Research Center, in collaboration with VCU Libraries, presents a lecture and conversation with Becky Hill (Pamunkey) and Siera Hyte (Cherokee), highlighting the landscape of contemporary Native art in Virginia.
Focusing on the work of Indigenous artists across the commonwealth and the recently launched Virginia Native Artists Alliance (VNAA), the discussion will spotlight collaborative efforts by organizations like the Virginia Native Artists Alliance, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) and others to expand opportunities for Native artists.
The program takes place at 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30, at James Branch Cabell Library. The talk is free and open to all. Register here.
About the Speakers
Rebecca Hill (Pamunkey) graduated from Radford University with a B.S. in art and pursued graduate studies in museum studies at Hampton University. She has spent decades working as a professional photographer, starting with an internship at NASA’s Langley Research Center. Rebecca serves in multiple roles for the Pamunkey tribal government, including as a newly elected tribal council member. She is also a founding member and Executive Director of the Virginia Native Arts Alliance, dedicated to preserving and promoting Virginia Native culture, art, and artists.
Siera Hyte is an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation. She is the inaugural Schiller Family Curator of Indigenous American Art at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, Virginia. Hyte formerly held the role of Manager of Programs and Fellowships at the Lunder Institute for American Art and Assistant Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Colby Museum in Waterville, Maine. Her background in education includes working as a museum educator at the Missoula Art Museum, as a Lecturer at the University of Texas at Austin, and as a K-6 art teacher.
Artists featured in the Cabell Screen show Indigital are:
- Nicole Allen
- Austin Alfonso
- Ethan Brown
- Nokomis Custalow
- Desmond Ellsworth
- Cam Cook Fox
- Yvonne Goad
- Allyson Gray
- Tadi Laffin
- Debra Martin
- Michelle Sweeney
Featured image: Graphic Gourd by YvonneGoad, Pamunkey
Categories Community, Events, Native art