Michelle Napoli, Koyanni Alwas/Singing Tree, mixed media on canvas (2017)
A new exhibit in the Joseph P. Healey Library’s Grossmann Gallery highlights the work of three Native American artists and examines the theme of Native American resilience through art.
Join us for an opening reception on Thursday, February 1, at 4:00 pm. The event is sponsored by UMass Boston’s Institute for New England Native American Studies (INENAS), the Joseph P. Healey Library, the Student Alliance for the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas, and the Native American and Indigenous Studies Program. It will include talks by the artists, Interim Dean of University Libraries Joanne Riley, and Dr. J. Cedric Woods, the director of INENAS, which is housed at the School for Global Inclusion and Social Development at UMass Boston.
The three featured artists are Michelle Napoli (Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria—Coast Miwok and Southern Pomo), Nia Holley (Nipmuc Nation), and Kristen Wyman (Natick Nipmuc). “All three of these artists are inspired by their connections to their coastal homelands,” said Woods.
“The artists use materials such as abalone shells, quahogs, and wampum in their work, which have environmental and cultural significance to their Tribes,” Woods continued. “All three of them are navigating the tensions between their Native cultures and the urban society they live in. And each of them is also unique artistically.”
Visit the display in the Grossmann Gallery on the 5th floor of the Healey Library at UMass Boston. The Grossmann Gallery is open during the library’s regular hours: 7:30 am–10:00 pm on Monday through Thursday, 7:30 am–6:00 pm on Friday, 9:00 am–3:00 pm on Saturday, and 11:00 am–5:00 pm on Sunday. The exhibition will run through the summer of 2018.
For questions about the exhibition, please email Cedric.Woods@umb.edu or call 617-287-5784.
University Archives & Special Collections in the Joseph P. Healey Library at UMass Boston collects materials related to the university’s history, as well as materials that reflect the institution’s urban mission and strong support of community service, notably in collections of records of urban planning, social welfare, social action, alternative movements, community organizations, and local history related to neighboring communities.
University Archives & Special Collections welcomes inquiries from individuals, organizations, and businesses interested in donating materials of an archival nature that that fit within our collecting policy. These include manuscripts, documents, organizational archives, collections of photographs, unique publications, and audio and video media. For more information about donating to University Archives & Special Collections, click here or email library.archives@umb.edu.