On display at The Grand
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NEW ULM -- An exhibit of Edward Curtis's photography is coming to New Ulm and will be on display at The Grand Center for Arts and Culture.
The exhibit is called "The North American Indian" and features a selection of 55 of Curtis's portraits and scenes on loan from The Montgomery Arts and Heritage Center.
Curtis was a Seattle-based photographer who was famous for his 30-year work of photographing Native people of North America.
Born in Wisconsin in 1868, Curtis and his family moved to Le Sueur County when he was 5. The family later moved to Cordova and opened a grocery store. The family again moved to Seattle in 1887. There, Curtis would open a photography studio and become well-known for his portraits. In 1895, he photographed Princess Angeline, daughter of Chief Siahl (Seattle). His work photographing Native American tribes began in 1900 after seeing a sun dance in Montana conducted by the Blackfoot, Blood and Piegan people. It was then he realized the culture of Native Americans was disappearing. He dedicated his career to photographing Native people and their culture as a method of preservation.
Curtis's photographs have become famous as a source of information on various Native tribes. Some of these photographs have been challenged for a presenting an idealized version of Native culture, but they have also been a source for reclaiming tribal heritage.
The Chair of The Grand Board of Directors Pam Stocco said digital reprints of many of Curtis’s photos were on display at the Montgomery Arts and Heritage Center, with permission from Northwestern University. The Montgomery Art and Heritage Center agreed to loan the photos to The Grand as part of a traveling display.
Stocco said the display was arranged in The Grand's 4 Pillars Gallery based on tribe location. The photographs are arranged by tribes of the Northwest, Great Plains tribes, Southwest tribes and tribes of Alaska. The photographs included portraits of individuals as well as scenic photos of tribal culture.
A special virtual grand opening will be hosted at 5 p.m. Friday, January 15. A special virtual tour of the exhibition will be hosted by Dan Hoisington. The video can be viewed on The Grand's websites, Facebook page and YouTube.
The 4 Pillars Gallery is open to visitors from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. "The North American Indian" will be on display at the Grand through February 28.