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Cleveland Museum of Art conceals Native American pieces on display due to updated federal law

By in Native

Cleveland Museum of Art conceals Native American pieces on display due to updated federal law

CLEVELAND — Some museums have either covered or taken down Native American exhibits after an updated federal law about how Native American artifacts can be displayed.

The Cleveland Museum of art brings in people from far and wide, but today, not all artifacts are on display.

The museum said in a statement that concealing the Native American displays is in direct response to the updated 1990 Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA).

“Out of respect for the native American tribes and NAGPRA, the CMA has covered the display cases that contain items that might fit the new NAGPRA definitions until the appropriate determinations can be made and, if necessary, consents obtained,” the statement reads, in part.

NAGPRA was created in 1990 to protect and return cultural items to the Native Americans; the provision now requires museums and federal agencies to obtain the consent of lineal descendants, Indian tribes, or native Hawaiian organizations to display cultural items.

“Basically, they’re putting a fire under some particular museums,” said Marie Toledo.

Toledo is a board member on Lake Erie’s Native American council and sits on the advisory board for the museum. She said she was pleased to see how they responded.

“It is enough right now. Yes, they’re following the guidelines. I think they’ve been proactive. There are many museums that have not even done that much,” said Toledo.

She added that it’s painful to see artifacts and pieces of Native American history on display, knowing how they were secured.

“When I go into a museum, and I maybe see a Cheyenne woman’s dress and you can see holes in it. Well, those holes can be bullet holes, and you know, the history of that dress,” Toledo said. “You know how that dress was gotten. It wasn’t just given, some Cheyenne woman didn’t make that dress and say here you go, you know, those were gotten in a really, really violent, genocidal manner.”

Philip Yenyo, with the American Indian Movement of Ohio, feels the same way.

“It hurts for me; I feel like our ancestors aren’t being respected. Our burial sites aren’t being respected,” said Yenyo.

Yenyo believes the museum could have done more.

“They should be consulting with the different native nations to begin with,” said Yenyo.

But Yenyo’s still happy to see they are moving in the right direction. He and Toledo just want their indigenous people to have a say in pieces of their history.

“I hope that it continues to evolve and that we continue to decolonize museums and listen to the people give the people their voice and, return our relatives and our items of significance, culturally and spiritually,” said Toledo.

The Cleveland Museum of Art added that they are going through their records to see if consent has already been obtained for some items.

The museum’s full statement can be read below:

The federal government recently issued new requirements related to the 1990 Native American Graves Protection Act (NAGPRA). These new requirements were issued on December 13, 2023, and went into effect January 12, 2024. A new provision requires museums to secure consent of lineal descendants, Indian Tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations to display cultural items. The CMA has a few items that may be subject to the new regulations and is currently consulting the relevant parties to secure their consent to display those items. In some instances, the CMA may already have the required permissions based on historical discussions with Native American representatives. The CMA is currently reviewing archival records to determine if consent consistent with the regulations has been obtained and, in instances where there is no record of consent, determine which parties need to be consulted. The 30-day period between the time the new requirements were issued and when they went in effect did not provide adequate time to secure consent. Out of respect for the Native American Tribes and NAGRPA, the CMA has covered the display cases that contain items that might fit the new NAGPRA definitions until the appropriate determinations can be made and, if necessary, consents obtained. Three of the six display cases in our gallery of Native North American art have been covered, so that those items are protected from public view until appropriate consent is obtained.

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400-Year-Old Sorrowful Christ Sculpture Returns to Ukraine After Conservation

By in Sculpture

400-Year-Old Sorrowful Christ Sculpture Returns to Ukraine After Conservation
The figure of the Sorrowful Christ, a significant historical and cultural artifact, has returned to its home in Ukraine after a meticulous two-year conservation effort. Originally part of Lviv’s Boim Chapel, the over 400-year-old sculpture had to be dismantled from its perch atop the chapel’s dome due to decay. Weighing in at a hefty 280

DAM & New NAGPRA Guidelines 

By in Native

DAM & New NAGPRA Guidelines 

The Native Arts team and administration of the Denver Art Museum (DAM) have anticipated the new NAGPRA guidelines, which went into effect on January 12, since they were initially proposed. In preparation, members of our staff participated in a recent training conference and webinar on the revised law and new regulations through the Association on American Indian Affairs and National NAPGRA program. These new regulations require tribal consultation and approval from the affiliated Native communities before an institution can display human remains, associated funerary objects, unassociated funerary objects, objects of cultural patrimony and sacred objects (collectively called “cultural items” in the new regulations). The national NAPGRA program issued recommendations to museums on how to maintain compliance, which our staff has carefully reviewed. While we are continuing to do research, speak with our colleagues, and reach out to NAGPRA advisors and Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (THPOs), we have no specific concerns regarding the current displays of items in the DAM’s galleries.

The Denver Art Museum has been in compliance with NAGPRA since its launch and the team is committed to ensuring the museum remains in compliance. While we are confident in our internal processes, on January 12th, out of an abundance of caution, museum staff removed a case with Mississippian/Caddoan ceramics from view. More than 30 Indigenous tribes claim descent from these cultures, and while all descendant communities were notified of these holdings when we completed our original NAGPRA inventories, not all chose to conduct consultations. While the museum doesn’t believe that displaying these items puts its galleries out of compliance with new NAGPRA guidelines, we are reaching out to these communities to give them another opportunity to voice any concerns before displaying these items again.

As always, now and into the future, we will honor any additional display changes requested. The DAM has a long history of working closely with Indigenous communities and their leaders in its ongoing work collecting, conserving, and presenting important artworks by Native artists. Additionally, our actions have long been guided by an internal Policy on Collections Use and Repatriation of Culturally Sensitive Materials, written in collaboration with Walter Echo-Hawk (Pawnee) and Jhon Goes in Center (Oglala Lakota), and formally adopted by DAM’s board, in 1994. We support the spirit of the new regulations and the ongoing efforts of NAGPRA, which afford us a wonderful opportunity to connect and be in dialogue with Native communities. To this end, we continue to respect the wishes of Native community members as we work to incorporate the new NAGPRA requirements into our ongoing work.

Gaza through the eyes of a photographer and IDF reservist

By in Photography

Gaza through the eyes of a photographer and IDF reservist

Idan Arad, a travel and nature photographer who loves documenting Icelandic volcanoes and Namibian landscapes, found himself back on duty operating a tank in the Gaza Strip, and in the moments of respite between battles he took out his old camera and captured the scenes

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The Art of Less: How Simplicity Can Improve Your Photography |

By in Photography

The Art of Less: How Simplicity Can Improve Your Photography |

Simplicity often holds the key to powerful imagery. It challenges photographers to strip back to the essentials, focusing on the core elements that make a photo compelling. This philosophy is particularly relevant in an era where the temptation is to overcomplicate or rely heavily on post-processing. This excellent video essay discusses how embracing simplicity can make you a better photographer. 

Coming to you from Joshua Peg, this reflective video explores the power of simplicity in photography. Peg shares his personal journey of overcoming a creative block and rediscovering his passion for photography by embracing simplicity. He highlights the importance of going back to basics, especially when faced with challenging conditions like poor light or unremarkable landscapes. This means finding beauty and stories in mundane settings and working on your ability to create compelling images regardless of the circumstances.

Peg’s experience underscores a vital lesson: photography is not just about capturing perfect conditions or subjects, but about finding and telling stories. He emphasizes the role of simplicity in storytelling, where even the most ordinary scenes can become extraordinary thanks to a photographer’s skilled eye. This is particularly important for anyone who feels limited by their environment or gear. By focusing on simple, yet powerful narratives, photographers can elevate their work and connect more deeply with their audience. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Peg. 

‘Business as Usual’ for the Contemporary Art Market, With Risks for a Further Downturn

By in Art World News

‘Business as Usual’ for the Contemporary Art Market, With Risks for a Further Downturn

A gallery employee poses next to artworks by English artist Theodore Ereira-Guyer, during a press preview ahead of the opening of the London Art Fair in north London on Jan. 16.


AFP via Getty Images

After an uneven year, most experts surveyed by the London data and analysis firm ArtTactic are expecting the global contemporary art market to remain much the same for 2024. 

There’s “a sense of business as usual,” says Lindsay Dewar, head of analytics at ArtTactic. Respondents seem to be saying: “We don’t think it’s going to be bad, we don’t think it’s going to be good, we just need to get through another year,” Dewar says. 

Dewar experienced this sentiment anecdotally during opening night of the London Art Fair this week, which was “as busy as ever,” she says. “Transactions and deals were happening.” A dealer who was on a panel discussion with her said, “I’m just going to do exactly the same this year as I did last year, and we’re going to see what happens.”

The outlook could shift dramatically, however, depending on the outcomes of wars and conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, and how the world weathers difficult economic conditions, ArtTactic found in its survey. 

Among experts participating, 79% said geopolitical uncertainty “is the greatest challenge facing the art market this year,” and 77% feared high interest rates, persistent inflation, and slower economic growth could undermine a recovery.

“We could have a bumpy year ahead, mainly fueled by external factors outside the art market’s control,” ArtTactic founder
Anders Petterson
said in the report. He added, however, that “the art market has shown resilience before, and for some, the downturn last year, might provide an opportunity to re-enter the art market, as price expectations align with a new reality.”

The survey is based on responses from 124 auction specialists, collectors, dealers, curators, and other market experts surveyed earlier this month. ArtTactic has conducted the survey annually since January 2010. 

Last year, respondents were more optimistic that sales would rise this year, with 37% of those surveyed expecting an uptick compared to only 20% this year. The vast majority of art experts—68%—expect sales will remain flat this year compared to 47% who thought so last year. 

Digging deeper, the survey found experts to be slightly more optimistic about the secondary market than the primary market for contemporary art. Although 38% of experts were negative about future secondary market performance, 36% were neutral, and 27% were positive. For the primary market, 34% were negative, but 47% were neutral and only 19% were positive.

Those surveyed were most upbeat about the potential performance of works by post-war artists this year, with 45% expecting to see positive results. The experts were more neutral on the future of works by blue-chip artists (with 55% expressing a neutral view) and established contemporary artists (51%). 

As for works by young contemporary artists (under 45 years old)—a category that slumped 43.3% last year—the experts were divided, with 34% expecting negative results this year and the same percentage expective positive results. 

The findings suggest “a neutral-to-positive outlook” for the sector, the report said. “With more younger buyers entering the art market, we would expect interest and demand for a younger generation of artists to continue.” 

A big factor in the future performance of works by young contemporary artists is the appetite of Asian collectors. According to ArtTactic, 39.2% of sales in this category last year were by buyers in Hong Kong, a major art hub for the region. Those sales could be dragged lower by the economic slowdown in China. The International Monetary Fund is projecting China’s economy will grow by 4.6% this year, down from 5.2% in 2023.

Of the experts surveyed, 55% believe the Chinese art market will weaken further this year, and only 17% expect it to rebound. The hit to the broader art market could be significant as buyers from China, and more broadly in Asia, accounted for 30% of bidding for works valued at US$1 million or more in the first half of last year, ArtTactic said. 

“Lower demand could have a significant impact on the top-end of the market, which accounted for roughly 75% of the fine art market sales at Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and Phillips,” the firm said. 

Contraction is likely to continue at the very top end of the market, “where people are a bit more wary, and you have to have the right buyer and the right seller to make these kinds of deals happen,” Dewar says.

As was the case last year, she expects sellers will continue to manage expectations so that they can close deals—because collectors are still willing to buy at the right price. Sellers “want to transact and they’re willing to lower the price if that’s what it takes,” Dewar says. 

A bright spot for the auction market last year was, in fact, in lower-priced works, snapped up by new, younger buyers. Sales of art valued below US$50,000 rose 10.3% from a year earlier to US$140.4 million, and the number of lots sold rose 21.6% to more than 9,100 works. 

The experts are divided on the future of this segment for 2024, however, with 38% expecting a positive outcome and 41% expecting a downturn, ArtTactic said.

“As the top-end of the art market has softened in 2023, there is a risk that the weaker sentiment in the market will start to trickle down to the lower price segments,” the firm said. Still, the experts are optimistic on the market for limited editions and prints, which tend to be offered at lower price points. Among those surveyed, 34% have a positive view of this segment, up from 33% the previous year.

As an undervalued sector, prints and editions could present an opportunity this year, Dewar says. “When the top end is on the go-slow, people will start turning their attention to the lower end of the market and the print sections,” she says. 

Among the most positive perspectives in the report is the outlook for art by women. Sales of works by female artists rose 10.5% last year to nearly US$788 million. That’s 14.4% of total sales, up from 9.5% in 2022, ArtTactic said. 

The outlook is strong in part because of a series of big museum and gallery shows planned for this year, including “Women Artists in Britain, 1520-1920,” through March at the Tate in London and Mary Cassat at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in May. 

“This year offers ample opportunities to learn about and revisit an older generation of women artists, who have largely been neglected by the market up until now,” the report said.

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