The Stories They Tell: Indigenous Art and the Photography of Edward S. Curtis

February 4 – May 14, 2023

This unique exhibition examines the relationships between art and cultural identity by pairing the photographic images of Native American culture by Edward S. Curtis, with correlative Native art. Presented in three sections: Southwest pottery and basketry, California basketry, and Northwest Coast carving and textiles, the show reflects on how objects harbor memories and tell stories about a time, a place, and a people.  

Highlights From the Exhibition

Edward S. Curtis, Girl and Jar – San Ildefonso, 1905

Tony Da, San Ildefonso Lidded Sgraffito Jar, c. 1980

Edward S. Curtis, A Haida Shaman’s Rattle, 1915

Preston Singletary, Navigating this Realm and the Other, 2009

Edward Curtis produced one of the most extensive photographic projects in history. He was working during the early 20th century, at a time when it was a commonly held belief among non-Natives that Native American culture would soon disappear. Curtis’s work reflects that concept. This exhibition offers examples of Native art from the 19th century to today, illustrating Native cultures as very much alive and thriving.

“This exhibition allows us to explore how diverse artforms are physical reflections of unique environments and ways of life,” says Caitlin Pendola, Assistant Curator at The James Museum and curator of this exhibition. “The objects chosen for this exhibition, not often seen in Florida, provide context and a new way of understanding Curtis’s work and Indigenous art.”

Pendola and co-curator Jason Wyatt, Collections Manager at The James Museum, brought together over 90 Native-made objects from the permanent collection, four private lenders, and seven museums from across the United States to tell the story. The Curtis works seen in this exhibition have been donated and lent by St. Petersburg couple Robb & Susan Hough. With this exhibition visitors will get an immersive look into Native American material culture that bridges centuries of generational knowledge.

This exhibition is organized by The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art.