“Indigenous Identities: Here, Now & Always,” on exhibition at Rutgers University’s Zimmerli Art Museum now through December 21, 2025, was curated by the late artist Jaune Quick-too-See Smith (January 15, 1940-January 24, 2025). Phoebe Farris interviewed artist Norman Akers (Osage Nation) in relation to the exhibit.
Phoebe Farris: How does your painting “Drowning Elk,” on display at Zimmerli, reflect Jaune Quick-to-See Smith’s theme of “Here, Now & Always”?
Norman Akers: The elk in my painting is a central being in one of our creation stories about the land. I am interested in how these stories that are rooted in our history come alive and continue to guide us in understanding the contemporary environmental issues Indigenous people face today. These Tribal narratives are still very much a part of our lives. They can help us navigate a changing world.
PF: You have known Jaune a long time and been involved with many of her creative projects. Is there anything you would like to share with our readers about your personal and professional relationship?
NA: Jaune was so gracious in making time for younger Native students. Many years ago she was kind enough to have a class from IAIA (Institute of American Indian Art) come and visit her studio before one of her major shows.
PF: You are currently a Visiting Artist in Residence at Temple University’s Tyler School of Art and Architecture. Are there any similarities between the work you are creating at Tyler and your painting that Jaune selected for “Indigenous Identities”?
NA: I am serving as the inaugural artist for the Edgar Heap of Birds Family Artist in Residence at Tyler School of Art and Architecture. The current work deals with issues related to land, borders, and the environment. I am continuing to use a familiar visual vocabulary for my art, but I am working in Philadelphia, where the mythos of America and colonialism are rooted. I’m intrigued by how this new location may shift my work.
PF: As a participating artist in Jaune’s last curatorial project, what do you want visitors to reflect on as they enter and exit the museum?
NA: One of the most exciting parts of the “Indigenous Identities: Here, Now & Always” exhibition is the show’s scope of art and artists. The inclusion of younger Native artists with older artists just drives the point home. We are witnessing generational Indigenous voices addressing the issues of their time.
Read interviews with artists:
- “Indigenous Identities: Here, Now & Always”
- John Hitchcock (Comanche, Kiowa, and Northern European Ancestry)
- Neal Ambrose-Smith (Descendant of Confederate Salish and Kootenai Nation of Montana)
- Raven Manygoats (Diné)
Phoebe Mills Farris, Ph.D. (Powhatan-Pamunkey) is a Purdue University Professor emerita, photographer, and freelance art critic.
