Submitted by Nadia Elokdah on February 25, 2022
“To be a Native American art curator today comes with expectations from a tribal community and requires an ability to be engaged with tribal governments, know methods and art practices, and then be academically credentialed in the museum field,” reflects Tahnee Ahtone, a Native American art curator in her biographical essay published in Hyperallergic.
Ahtone conveys not only her experiences but hopes for her people, “Our people have suffered from genocide, historical trauma, erasure, social, and economic impact. Our scholars can prosper if they are allowed to genuinely participate, which feels like the biggest challenge facing American Indian curators.”