In this gallery, view beadworks, baskets, pottery, jewelry, carvings, sculptures, prints, and other arts by Indigenous people of the 19th and 20th centuries.

The people who were the first inhabitants of the American continent have traditions of creating objects of great beauty.  “Although Indians of the past probably never considered themselves to be practicing artists in pursuit of art for its own sake, art was nonetheless integral in the growth of Indian culture.  For them, art and culture are inseparable - art is essential to the shaping of culture and simultaneously shaped by it,” wrote Lloyd New, Cherokee artist and educator.

From European contact, the native peoples were labeled as Indians.  Although the name was generated from a mistake and has a mixed history, it retains a level of acceptance in relation to other terms such as Native American, indigenous, and First Nations.  Individual tribal or nations names provide more specificity and point to the cultural diversity among Indian peoples. The diversity of artistic expression can be seen in the range of objects, such as baskets. Clothing, and carved figures, and of stylistic approaches, from abstract to pictorial.  The objects reveal cultural adaptability as traditions are changed with new materials and influences. They also indicate survival and flourishing, as Indian peoples continue creating artistic works of great power.