A special Family Day on Saturday, June 28, at the Albany Museum of Art will explore Native American histories, contemporary stories, and artistic traditions through hands-on activities, live performances, and guided conversation. Voices & Images: A Family Day Celebration of Indigenous Culture, inspired by the In Conversation: Will Wilson exhibition at the AMA, is supported by Art Bridges. The event from 10 am-1 pm is free and open to the public.

“It will be a morning of art, culture, and community connection,” Director of Education and Public Programming Annie Van Oteghem said. “We are thrilled that Swil Kanim, a Native American violinist, actor, storyteller, and U.S. Army veteran from Washington state, will be here to share his powerful music and stories. Wilson’s photograph of Kanim with his violin is one of the images on view in the exhibition. We thank Art Bridges for making his appearance and this event possible.” Kanim is scheduled to perform at 11:30 am.

During Voices & Images, AMA Executive Director Andrew J. Wulf, Ph.D., will present a land acknowledgment recognizing and honoring the Indigenous people who first inhabited the land where the Albany Museum of Art is located.

“On May 28, 1830, President Andrew Jackson authorized the Indian Removal Act, which allowed the government to exchange land west of the Mississippi for Southeast tribal lands,” Wulf said. “Jackson argued that the act would provide land access for white settlers while enabling Native people to abandon their ‘savage habits’ through their separation from white society.

“Despite being presented as an option people could choose, this legislation forced thousands of Muscogee (Creek), Choctaw, Chickasaw, Seminole, and Cherokee to relocate,” he said. “The forced relocation of Native American tribes to present-day Oklahoma is known as the Trail of Tears. Many died from disease, hunger, and exposure. One observer from the era asserted that no other period in American history compared to the misery and suffering the emigrating Creeks were experiencing.

“It is a humble honor for the AMA to acknowledge and recognize the Indigenous people who first inhabited Southwest Georgia in a permanent public statement on the museum’s website and lobby.”

A highlight of the event will be a display of portrait photography that students in grades 2-7 will create during the week of June 23-27 during Photography and Self-Representation Summer Camp. “Inspired by Wilson, the camp will offer young artists the opportunity to explore identity and storytelling through the lenses of their cameras and smartphones,” Van Oteghem said.

In addition, there will be:
A photography booth where visitors can take photos with props and backdrops inspired by Will Wilson’s work;
Craft stations featuring Indigenous-inspired art-making activities for all ages;
Scavenger hunts through the museum’s galleries for kids;
Storytelling sessions centered on Native American traditions and legends;
Guided family-friendly tours of the In Conversation: Will Wilson exhibition;
The Dougherty County Public Library, which is partnering by providing books for the Reading Nook in the Haley Gallery, will offer library card signups and renewals;
Opportunities to meet the AMA curators and learn more about the exhibition’s themes and works.

Contemporary Diné (Navajo) photographer Wilson’s ongoing Critical Indigenous Photographic Exchange (CIPX) project is dedicated to creating a 21st-century vision of Native North America. His work in In Conversation: Will Wilson, with support from Art Bridges, contrasts with that of Edward Curtis, whose photographs taken in the late 19th and early 20th centuries are also on view in the exhibition.

Curtis had his sitters pose according to his instructions and had them in formal attire they would not have worn in the tasks depicted. Wilson’s work is a full collaboration with his sitters, who determine how they want to be presented by choosing their clothing, props, and poses.

For his CIPX Project, Wilson uses the late 19th-century tintype photography method used by Curtis. He gives the sitter the original photograph while retaining the right to print and use scans for artistic purposes. Wilson also melds modern technology with the old process through his Talking Tintype app that brings specially marked photographs in his exhibition to life via smartphones and electronic tablets.

“Voices & Images is more than a family program,” Van Oteghem said. “It’s a time when our community can gather, celebrate Indigenous voices, and reflect on the connections between art, history, and identity. It’s ideal for families, kids, educators, art enthusiasts, and anyone interested in Indigenous culture and contemporary storytelling.”

See more about the exhibitions at https://www.albanymuseum.com/art/current-exhibitions/.

See more about Art Bridges at https://artbridgesfoundation.org/.

See more about artist Will Wilson at https://willwilson.photoshelter.com/index.