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By Native News Online Staff

August 24, 2023

This week and next in Indian Country, there is an abundance of celebrations, powwows, and events that celebrate the culture of Native people. 

Here is Native News Online’s weekly round-up of arts, culture and entertainment offerings around Indian Country.

Maine Native American Summer Market
New Gloucester, ME
August 26, 2023

The annual festival of Maine’s finest, award-winning Native American artists is back. The Maine Native American Summer Market provides a rare opportunity to appreciate Wabanaki culture firsthand through basket making, bead working, storytelling, drumming, singing, and dancing. Admission is free and open to the public at 10am. 

Dix Parker Inter-Tribal Pow Wow
Raleigh, NC
August 26, 2023

In partnership with Indigenous community organizers and the Dix Park Conservancy, join us for Dix Park’s Inter-Tribal Pow Wow. The community is invited to experience a day of competition dancing, music, and vendors showcasing the incredible legacy and culture of Indigenous communities living in North Carolina today.  

Native American Drum Circle with Brother Granite
Fall River, MA
August 26, 2023

Join Brother Granite at Craftyish Shop for a night of traditional Native American drumming. Experience spiritual medicine and profound wisdom as the sound of the drum fills your spirit. Everyone from all walks of life are welcome at this workshop starting at 6pm. No outside drums are allowed at the workshop. 

Sunset at the Zoo: Native American & Alaska Native Cultural Celebration
Sanford, FL
August 25, 2023

 Come gather at the Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens for the fourth Sunset event of 2023, as they celebrate Native American and Alaska Native culture and heritage. Gates will open at 5pm for guests to enjoy exploring the zoo, with music, food, and much more until the sun goes down. 

Historian Hangout at the Walt Farr Native American Relic Museum
Cheaha State Park, AL 
August 25, 2023

History buffs, family elders, and local historians, come visit the mountain and join the Park Historian to share your stories and hear stories of others. This on-going event is aimed at preserving the local history, customs, and heritage of the area. Admission is free and open to the public at 5pm. 

Mountain Spirit Pow Wow
Core, WV
August 26-27, 2023 

Come dance and celebrate the colorful culture of Native Americans. Bring your own lawn chairs or blankets and stay for a day of enjoyment and celebration. Beautiful regalia, drumming, singing, storytelling, food and crafts will be available. 

Potawatomi Trails Pow Wow
Zion, IL
August 26, 2023

Come celebrate and learn about the Native American heritage at the Potawatomi Trails Pow Wow. Activities will include a veterans talking circle, a storyteller and award-winning Native recording artists. Demonstrations of quill working and flint knapping are available throughout the weekend. A silent auction and raffle items are available and all proceeds go toward funding the event starting at 10am.  

15th Annual Rendezvous at the Straits Pow Wow
St Ignace, MI
August 25-27, 2023

The 15th Annual Rendezvous at the Straits Pow Wow will be held at the New France Discovery Center at the Father Marquette National Memorial. This traditional Native American Pow Wow will feature traditional dancing, drumming, and singing. Enjoy vendor demonstrations, authentic, hand-made arts and crafts and traditional Native American food. The event is open to the public with grand entries starting Friday at 1pm, Saturday at 12pm, and Sunday at 12pm. 

Medicine River Charity Pow Wow
Gilbertville, VA
August 26-27, 2023

Medicine River Native Trust presents Good Time Family Powwow with Native American drumming, dancing, and vendors. The circle opens at noon both days and will provide additional entertainment from flute playing to history. 

Cultural Dances at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center
Albuquerque, NM
August 26, 2023

The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center is the only place in North America that offers Native American dances every weekend year-round, showcasing dance groups from the 19 Pueblos of New Mexico, as well as neighboring Tribal Nations. Visitors will see social dances that are meant to be shared with the public, and several groups have a Round Dance, inviting visitors to join the celebration. The event will start at 2pm. 

Nulhegan Abenaki Gathering
Eden, VT
August 26-27, 2023

Throughout the weekend there will be singing, storytelling, drumming, and dancing along with other activities to be enjoyed by adults and children. Vendors will also be set up with authentic arts and crafts starting at 10am on Saturday.  

Makah Days Celebration
Neah Bay, WA
August 25, 2023

The Annual Celebration of the Makah culture focused around the Makah patriotism for the U.S. This celebration spans three days with canoe races, bone games, kid races, royalty, salmon bake, traditional dancing, vendors, and fireworks. 

Unkitawa Waterfront Indigenous Celebration
Seattle, WA
August 26, 2023

 Celebrating Native American and Indigenous Culture is a wonderful way to promote diversity and appreciation for different cultures. The event will feature performances, music, coastal jam, powwow dance style demonstrations, art, and social dances for attendees. This event provides opportunities for all walks of life to come together, learn, and celebrate the richness of Indigenous culture. 

Colorado Native: A Native American Comedy Showcase
Boulder, CO
August 25-26, 2023

 Colorado Native is one of the only Native American comedy showcases in the country and it is built on a simple premise: Natives are funny. Creative Nations brings the best in Indigenous comedic talent from all over North American for a night of gut busting and culture sharing. Come out and see some of the funniest Indigenous people starting at 7pm at the Sacred Space.

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About The Author

Author: Native News Online StaffEmail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Native News Online is one of the most-read publications covering Indian Country and the news that matters to American Indians, Alaska Natives and other Indigenous people. Reach out to us at [email protected].

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By Native News Online Staff

August 24, 2023

Join Native News Online Publisher Levi Rickert and Staff Reporter Darren Thompson on tomorrow’s Native Bidaské as they interview Mona Perea (Diné) and Loni Bernally (San Ildefonso Pueblo), who handled artist service for the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts about the 101st Santa Fe Indian Market.

SWAIA hosted the 101st Santa Fe Indian Market to crowds celebrating American Indian culture, art, fashion, and people. The legendary Indian fine arts market has attracted crowds from all over the world for 101 years and continues to bring talent, tradition, and appreciation for American Indian culture and arts.

Thompson was on the ground last weekend at the 101st Santa Fe Indian Market, and his photo gallery has been the most-read article on Native News Online this week. 

Perea and Bernally will share the highlights of last week’s Santa Fe Indian Market. They will discuss how some of the top Native American artisans are part of a legacy of their families who have had art entries in the Indian Art Market for decades. 

Perea, who has been in education the majority of her adult life, uses her talents to work directly with the hundreds of Native American artists who have entries in the Indian Art Market.

Bernally, equipped with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Indigenous Liberal Studies from the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA), has committed her talents to ensure the artists feel welcome at the Indian Art Market.

Tune into the live stream on Friday, August 25 at 12 p.m. EST. on the Native News Online Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. 

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About The Author

Author: Native News Online StaffEmail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Native News Online is one of the most-read publications covering Indian Country and the news that matters to American Indians, Alaska Natives and other Indigenous people. Reach out to us at [email protected].

Sculpture Milwaukee has named Wauwatosa native John Riepenhoff, an internationally-renowned artist, curator and gallerist, as its new executive director. 

Riepenhoff is currently serving as curator for the 2023 Sculpture Milwaukee exhibition “Actual Fractals, Act I.” 

Sculpture Milwaukee is an annual outdoor public sculpture exhibition focused mainly on Downtown.

“I see my leadership role at Sculpture Milwaukee as an opportunity to forward the direction established in the first seven years of our organization, with respect for major currents in art while giving attention to undercurrents and the unexpected, with a focus on underrepresented artists,” Riepenhoff said.

Riepenhoff replaces Brian Schupper, who had led Sculpture Milwaukee since November 2018, marking a shift in placing the organization’s day-to-day leadership in the hands of an artist. 

“Curating this year’s exhibition, I experienced first-hand the visions of our artists, the strength of our bonds with community partners, the ambitions of our founders and the immense skill of our staff,” Riepenhoff said. 

In his new role with Sculpture Milwaukee, Riepenhoff will continue to lead curatorial efforts as well as the organization at large. 

“As planning begins for 2024, when all eyes will be on Milwaukee as host of a national political convention, John’s expertise, tireless commitment and well-earned reputation within the local, national, and global art community positions our organization to elevate from our foundational phase to a position of permanence,” Sculpture Milwaukee’s board chairman Wayne Morgan said.

Riepenhoff is co-owner of The Green Gallery, a contemporary art space on the East Side that he started in his attic in 2003 and has since become a destination gallery for artists worldwide. He also runs The Open Fund, an arts grant program, and the Beer Endowment, a line of beers inspired by and in support of arts projects.  

He has also co-organized Milwaukee International and Dark Fairs, is an inventor of artistic platforms for the expression of others and is a regular food ideator.

“I have a lot of roles in the art world,” Riepenhoff said. “I’m an artist, a gallerist, a curator. Leading this organization, I have a unique skill where I can relate to a lot of our partners. I know how to talk to artists and meet their needs, I know how to communicate with galleries and lenders. I was an art handler and an artist assistant in the early years of my career. I really value all the labor and all the levels of collaboration and collective contribution and authorship that goes into creating culture.” 

Riepenhoff said his vision for the organization favors collaboration over competition. 

“I really believe there are so many world-class, artist-supporting institutions in our region, like the Milwaukee Art Museum, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Lynden Sculpture Garden, the Haggerty Museum of Art, among others,” he said. “I really want to continue to foster this environment in Milwaukee, where not only do artists work together to collaborate but so do institutions in order to share resources and project the voice of what culture can look like in this region.”

Milwaukee’s size and scale is conducive for the growth of artists, he said.

“There are qualities about Milwaukee that some may seem as challenges, but I’ve embraced the unique qualities of the city as incredible resources,” Riepenhoff said. “It’s a great city for artists because of the low cost of living and the ease of life. To me, it’s way more attractive than many bigger cities. One of the things I’m quite interested in from a curatorial standpoint is our location.”

Riepenhoff is also motivated by Sculpture Milwaukee’s ability to drive interest in contemporary art among many groups.

“Sculpture Milwaukee has a really big range of audiences, mainly because we are free,” he said. “You don’t have to be seeking out our art to engage with it. You can literally just bump into it on the street. It comes to you. We have 39 pieces on the streets right now, mostly Downtown.”

Artists and those who are educated in art have also shown strong interest in Sculpture Milwaukee, with some traveling from other states and countries to witness the programming. 

“Then you have an audience of people who collect and patronize art,” he added. “We’re part of a really incredible, high-quality international art conversation.”

Most of the works that are part of Sculpture Milwaukee are for sale, driving interest among companies and individuals who purchase art, the proceeds which can benefit future programming. 

“One of the qualities about having art in public spaces is just the radical accessibility of it,” Riepenhoff said. “I’m welcoming people to have opinions about it. That has the power to bring people into other conversations about art appreciation and bring them in the doors of these incredible institutions in our region and maybe they even bring some of the artwork into their homes.”

Riepenhoff, 41, graduated from Wauwatosa East High School and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the Peck School of the Arts at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. 

He said he’s seen a growing interest in contemporary art by a more highly diverse audience in the Milwaukee area over the past two decades.

“I see a growing critical mass of appreciation,” said Riepenhoff, who was named the 2105 Milwaukee Arts Board Artist of the Year. “We’ve had such a strong artist-driven community for years and there’s been more and more engagement with the general public. It’s a really exciting moment right now.”

Riepenhoff’s work spans the globe. 

“I have an international art practice through my curatorial and gallery work. I have a big presence in the international art scene,” he said. “I was in New York City last week. Over the last year, I’ve also had solo exhibitions of my own work in Brussels, Dallas and Little Rock, Arkansas.”

Creating visibility for what he refers to as “underrepresented” arts scenes, like Little Rock, is part of his mission.

“I have a vested interest in participating in these places that have a ton of culture but just don’t have as many resources,” Riepenhoff said.

Riepenhoff sees an opportunity to create conversations around art when Milwaukee hosts the Republican National Convention in July 2024. 

“Undeniably, having art in a public space creates an opportunity for a backdrop for a public spotlight,” he said. “For me, it’s just about supporting artists and getting their voices out in the public space. Hopefully, we can draw attention to this thriving, cultural scene here. We can obviously celebrate diversity and celebrate conversation and voices. There is the potential for a lot of attention on Milwaukee with the convention and I think that the sculptures and our programming will be visible as a backdrop.”

Riepenhoff envisions art appreciation gaining even more positive momentum moving forward.   

“There’s this energy that’s been bubbling to the surface in Milwaukee,” he said. “There’s been growing patronage and public support, and I think it’s very symbolic that a young but quite established art institution like Sculpture Milwaukee has invited an artist to be its executive director.”

Fortifying Sculpture Milwaukee’s presence is among Riepenhoff’s goals in his new role. 

“I hope, for people who can’t travel internationally, that we can bring things here and give them a sense of perspective just by walking through the streets of Milwaukee,” Riepenhoff said. “I also hope we can be a resource to artists and art lovers and that we can stimulate conversation while also being a resource for businesses and people who are looking to invest in art.”

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Dear friends —

We’ve just completed a magical summer at the Sundance Resort and other beautiful locations, where artists came together to workshop projects and develop brave, risk-taking stories at our signature Sundance Labs. This has always been a part of our year-round work that’s near and dear to my heart, and it felt especially timely this year. 

As we speak, our entire country is having a conversation about the vital role of artists in society, and the right of creatives to earn a living from their work. In the midst of this challenging moment for our industry, it was invigorating and inspiring to feel the boundless creative energy of our Sundance fellows and watch new ideas take root. It brought home an essential truth: Supporting artists — creatively, strategically, and financially through grants — has never been more important. We remain committed to the future of Sundance Labs and are proud to stand in solidarity with the WGA and SAG/AFTRA in building a fairer and more equitable future for artists. 

We got a powerful glimpse of that future beginning with the Native Lab in New Mexico, which brought together five Indigenous artists from the U.S., Canada, and New Zealand to work on their narrative feature and episodic pilot scripts. Through cold reads, one-on-ones with lab advisors, and a workshop with director Joan Tewkesbury, participants focused on writing with authenticity and specificity to tell their stories with their own unique Indigenous voice.

At the closing circle of the Directors Lab, one Fellow summed up an experience shared by many who participated: “I have never felt more alive in my life than during the time I spent here at the lab.” I couldn’t agree more; it was thrilling to experience the intersection of nature and storytelling as we brought eight directors together to workshop their feature projects. Every day was full of creativity, imaginative possibility, and a willingness to try new approaches and push boundaries. It was a special treat to have four alumni — Gina Prince-Bythewood, Rick Famuyiwa, Miguel Arteta, and Ira Sachs — return as advisors, joining Artistic Director Gyula Gazdag and many others who have made a deep commitment to our culture of generosity. We also had a beautiful celebration of Joan Darling and Joan Tewkesbury, who have contributed to our labs for more than 30 years (!) and will continue to support Sundance fellows online.

Next up, we moved into the online Screenwriters Lab, which gave many of our fellows the opportunity to translate their discoveries from the Directors Lab into work on their scripts. Highlights included one-on-one feedback sessions with advisors, an in-depth advisor discussion of unforgettable film endings, and a conversation with Tarell Alvin McCrainey about the writing of the exquisite film Moonlight.

Following the Screenwriters Lab, we hosted five feature documentaries in post-production at the annual Documentary Edit and Story Lab. Artists from the U.S., Jordan, and Palestine set up a makeshift edit room at the Sundance Resort, working intensively with six world-renowned advisors to reimagine and reinvigorate their work. The lab also hosted a track for emerging editors who gained real-world experience working alongside fellows. A few weeks later, the Ignite Lab at MASS MoCA brought together ten filmmakers from ages 18–25 to establish the foundation for what will be a year-long fellowship focused on providing young artists with a robust creative community as they begin their careers.  

We closed out July with our Producers Lab, focusing on holistic producing, sustainability and fostering the essential creative and business partnership between directors and producers. And looking to the Fall, we’re excited to support storytellers at our Episodic Lab and Catalyst. 

There were so many memorable moments this summer — from watching scripts come alive for the first time to sitting with our fellows and advisors as they worked through rough cuts of scenes. It was awe-inspiring to witness fellows from all over the country and all around the globe connect across storytelling forms, backgrounds, identities, and experiences. And, of course, we laughed a lot, connected deeply, and enjoyed a safe space that honors creativity and individual voices. 

Thanks so much to our incredible staff, advisors, fellows, crews, actors, volunteers, funders, and partners for your enduring commitment, and for making Sundance such a special and meaningful place for discovery and community. With each moment of resilience and inspiration, each moment of vulnerability, and each thought-provoking insight, it becomes even clearer that these stories need to be told as part of the cultural conversation — and the fiercely talented, independent artists we support have so much to offer our world.

In gratitude,

Every week I’m interviewing exciting people from Idaho and around the world!

Adrian Ropp is a 30-year entertainment industry veteran who has worked in film, games and comics. He is probably best known for his video game work for the acclaimed franchises Disney Infinity and Hogwarts Legacy. For Disney Infinity, he wrote new adventures for Mickey Mouse, Cars, Monsters University, Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. He is also a prolific comic book writer and artist.

Adrian grew up in eastern Idaho and recently had a life-saving kidney transplant. He’s on the road to recovery and I had a great time asking him these questions:

• At what age did you start drawing? Have you always liked to draw?
• How did you get your start in working on video games?
• Do you have a favorite project you’ve worked on?
• How did you feel the first time you got a call to work with Disney?
• You are from Blackfoot. For young people in small towns who want to be artists and animators, how did you find opportunities to grow your skills?
• My family met you at Retro X in Idaho Falls. You travel to a lot of Comic Cons and other conventions. Is there a favorite place you have visited?
• Being from Blackfoot, did you ever work on spud harvest, and what is your favorite way to have a potato?

BONUS QUESTION

• What’s a piece of advice you can share with me?

Watch my entire interview with Adrian in the video player above and learn more about him on his website.

Missed any of my previous interviews? Watch them all here. And if you have an idea of someone I should interview or just want to say hi, email me: emmy@eastidahonews.com.

Top left to right: Photograph of World Culture Festival courtesy Art of Living Foundation, Janelle Monáe by Amy Harris/Invision/AP images, The Screwtape Letters by Joan Marcus. Bottom left to right: Photograph of Melvins by Chris Casella, “Indian Canyon” courtesy of Cara Romero, Robert Glasper courtesy of Robert Glasper.

Music

Black Cat 30th Anniversary

Black Cat | September 8–9

The beloved DC rock venue celebrates three decades with two shows: The first night features the likes of Ex Hex and club co-owner Dante Ferrandos Gray Matter, while reformed 90s darlings Velocity Girl (above) and Ted Leo & the Pharmacists are among the highlights of night two.

Music

Robert Glasper

Wolf Trap | September 9

The Grammy-winning pianist and composer has long fused jazz and rap with his Black Radio project. This performance will help celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, with prominent rappers such as Cordae, Common, and Lupe Fiasco making appearances.

Talks

Amy Bruni

Sixth & I | September 13

Get a head start on October hauntings with the paranormal investigator, podcaster, and star of the Travel Channel show Kindred Spirits. Bruni will share tales of her encounters with the dead—and just might inspire you to conduct your own paranormal investigation.

Books

The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff

Politics and Prose (Connecticut Avenue) | September 13

The renowned author’s latest novel tells the story of a young servant girl who escapes from a settlement in Colonial America. On her own, she learns to survive in a magical but frightening wilderness.

 
 

Theater

The Screwtape Letters

Capital One Hall | September 16

C.S. Lewis’s epistolary novel, The Screwtape Letters, addressed evil in a decidedly more biting manner than his beloved Chronicles of Narnia series did. Actor Brent Harris brings this humorous and sobering battle for the soul to the stage.

Music

Boris and Melvins

Howard Theatre | September 22

For whats sure to be a gloriously ear-splitting night, Japanese noisemakers Boris will perform their aptly titled 2002 album, Heavy Rocks. Seattle vets Melvins (above), meanwhile, will perform their 1991 album, Bullhead. Not coincidentally, the latter collection opens with a track called Boris, which, yes, gave the first band its name.

Museums

The Land Carries Our Ancestors

National Gallery of Art | September 22–January 15

Artist Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, a citizen of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Nation, curated this exhibit of work by Native American artists living in the US. Pieces range from traditional weaving and beadwork to modern sculpture and abstract painting. Above, a detail from “Indian Canyon” by photographer Cara Romero.

Music

Janelle Monáe

The Anthem | September 24–25

The musician and actress who’s set to depict Josephine Baker in the upcoming television series De la Resistance brings her sultry new album, The Age of Pleasure, to the Wharf for a show guaranteed to heat up the early-fall evening.

Music

Itzhak Perlman

Strathmore | September 28

The classical-violin superstar scored in 1995 with the Emmy-winning PBS special Great Performances: In the Fiddlers House, which found him exploring Jewish klezmer music. Now he’s bringing that concept to Strathmore, and hell be joined by klezmer stars including Hankus Netsky and Andy Statman.

Festivals

World Culture Festival

National Mall | September 29–October 1

In these polarizing times, one longs for unity. This three-day event, organized by the Art of Living Foundation (whose founder, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, is not without controversy), encourages attendees to renew, groove, dance, sing their way to a more harmonious world.

This article appears in the September 2023 issue of Washingtonian.

Bally’s Chicago Casino Selects Chicago Native Shawn Michael Warren for The Medinah Temple Mural Project (Chicago, IL) — Bally’s Chicago Casino is proud to commission Chicago native visual artist Shawn Michael Warren to create a visually stunning mural that will capture the historical significance, rich history, and transitional timeline of Medinah Temple, one of Chicago’s most iconic landmarks.

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The search was initiated in early July as an RFP for artists to submit applications to Bally’s Chicago Casino for consideration. The Medinah Temple Mural Project presents a unique opportunity for local artists to showcase their talent and contribute to the city’s artistic legacy.

Shawn Michael Warren is an esteemed artist who has worked on critically acclaimed works, including the narrative painting In a Promised Land, capturing the tragic history of the Greenwood Community in the early 1920s in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Warren has been featured in numerous articles, including The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times. His masterful creations named him a grant recipient of the Dean Collection 20—a grant established by Grammy-award-winning producer Swizz Beatz and wife, singer, and songwriter Alicia Keys in 2018. One of his latest works includes the life-size mural of media mogul Oprah Winfrey captured in the West Loop of Chicago, an area—Harpo Studios formerly called home for nearly 25 years.

Warren’s work has been showcased in exhibitions in both America and Europe and is in numerous private and institutional collections. His murals can be seen in Los Angeles, Indianapolis, and Chicago. Warren is also a member of the U.S. Department of State’s Art in Embassies program, which utilizes Art to promote diplomacy and cultural understanding between nations across the globe.

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The mural will be featured within a prominent area of Bally’s Chicago Casino, paying tribute to the phenomenal history of Medinah Temple and the people of Chicago. The targeted finish date will be the second week of September 2023.

“We are excited to have Shawn Michael Warren be a part of this amazing mural project. His extraordinary talent to capture the historical essence of Chicago’s connection to the Medinah Temple will be an eloquent and visual backdrop for guests visiting our casino,” said Mark Wong, General Manager for Bally’s Chicago Casino.

Bally’s Chicago Casino is committed to fostering local talent and supporting the vibrant arts community in Chicago. By commissioning this mural project, the casino aims to celebrate the historical significance of Medinah Temple and provide an engaging and visually captivating experience for its visitors.

Bally’s Chicago Casino Selects Chicago Native Shawn Michael Warren for The Medinah Temple Mural Project

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For experienced and new gallerygoers, the Tuscaloosa art galleries have an exciting lineup of exhibitions for everyone to enjoy this semester.  

On campus, art enthusiasts can check out the Sella-Granata Art Gallery and Sarah Moody Gallery of Art to see an assortment of exhibitions from students, faculty, local and international artists, and The University of Alabama’s permanent collection.  

 Starting Thursday, Aug. 31, until Oct. 3, SMGA presents “Tom Stanley: Painting and Drawing and Discovering a Practice,” an exhibition that chronicles 38 years of Stanley’s studio practices while examining the evolution and constants in his use of color, shapes, imagery, materials and technique.   

 “I think it’s going to be provocative for people because to see a period of an artist’s work and how it changes, but how it remains the same is quite interesting,” said Vicki Rial, SMGA’s exhibition coordinator.  

 This exhibition is one of three SMGA will display this semester. Rial said the exhibition following Stanley’s, titled “Women of Mokuhanga,” is still in development but will be a group showcase of Japanese woodblock prints from women around the country — contrasting with the art form’s male-dominated past — and will even feature some pieces from the University’s permanent collection.  

 The gallery will close the semester with the 2023 Biennial Faculty Exhibition of the Department of Art and Art History, which will be displayed from Dec. 1 until Jan. 26.  

  Along with on-campus attractions, gallerygoers also have numerous opportunities to engage with art off campus, whether at the Kentuck Art Center and Festival’s Art Nights or in Tuscaloosa’s arts and entertainment district downtown.  

 Next Friday, Sept. 2, patrons can participate in the first art walk of the semester.  

 First Friday, which began in 2013 as a collaborative promotional effort of the visual art spaces downtown, is a monthly art walk that spans the local galleries — the UA Gallery at the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center, Paul R. Jones Collection of American Art and Museum, Harrison Galleries, Lorrie Lane Studio and a few seasonal spaces — giving people a chance to explore downtown while enjoying the new exhibits.  

 Kevin Ledgewood, the Arts Council of Tuscaloosa’s publicity director, said he’s seen a lot of community engagement with First Friday, which is great because First Friday is for everyone.  

 “You shouldn’t think about First Friday as being just for artists or people who are educated in art or have careers in some type of fine art; it’s for everybody,” Ledgewood said. “We want the community to feel like everyone can come out and enjoy the arts on a First Friday.”  

 Daniel White, the director of the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center and the Paul R. Jones Museum, said his favorite part of First Fridays is presenting something impactful to the community and seeing their responses to it.  

 “To me, it’s like art museums aren’t just places to see art, but to also have conversations and talk about things and see things and spark dialogue and thought,” White said.  

 During this upcoming First Friday at 5 p.m., Paul R. Jones Museum and the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center will continue to spark dialogue and thought with two receptions for exhibitions that opened earlier in August.   

 Paul R. Jones will host the reception for “May 1970: The Gibbs-Green Tragedy at Jackson State College,” a documentary exhibition of photos taken by the late activist and academic Doris Derby following the death of Phillip Gibbs and James Earl Green by police on Jackson State campus on May 14, 1970, that highlights the aftermath and effects of the event.  

 Emily Bibb, the gallery’s curator and collection manager, had previously met Derby during another exhibition in 2015. She said the gallery had one photo of Derby’s in its collection when White suggested they should host the exhibition, which is organized and sponsored by the Margaret Walker Center at Jackson State University.  

 When White told her about it, she thought it would fit the museum’s goal of encouraging “the research and study of African American art within the broader American art tradition” as well.  

 White said he’s excited for this show because it’s a lesser-known part of history people need to see.  

 “If you ask someone about civil rights, they may know about Selma, they may know about Birmingham, ‘I Have a Dream’ speech, but these lesser, but just as significant, events need to be — these stories need to be told as well,” he said.  

 Robert Luckett, the Margaret Walker Center’s director, said he’s excited that the exhibition will have an audience in Tuscaloosa, and he hopes that viewers can learn about what happened and recognize that the power of history is understanding how the past repeats itself and continues to impact the present.   

 Across the street, at the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center, patrons can catch the reception for “Broken Bridges — Stephen Humphreys in Ukraine,” a collection of colored digital photographs capturing Humphreys’ several months while living in Ukraine after the battle of Irpin in 2022.   

 “It’s a wonderful exhibition that shows both the physical and emotional toll that this has taken,” White said. “And what’s crazy is he has thousands of photographs, but it was hard to cull it down into just a succinct show like we have. This shows both the physical and emotional weight that this is having, but it also shows human resilience.”   

 Humphreys, a Birmingham native and attorney, said selecting the images for the show evoked a lot of emotion.  

 “I remember one night I was going through photographs of Ukrainians who had been killed in the conflict, and all the emotion that I kind of ignored while I was doing the work came over me, and I just, I had to shut down my computer and stop, it was so, you know, just felt like weeping over all the lost souls,” he said.   

 He said he hopes the show brings people back to the concrete reality of what’s happening in Ukraine.  

  No matter which museum people go to, Rial said art galleries offer a chance to reflect and learn about society, aesthetics, subjects you might not learn in classes and different perspectives and how to translate them.  

 Whitley Dasinger, a Dinah Washington gallery worker and a senior majoring in marketing and international studies, said working at the gallery has been very educational.  

 “I’ve learned a lot about art,” Dasinger said. “Even just like with the Ukraine photographs, it’s very eye-opening, and it really just surrounds you. There’s more than just Alabama.”   

 She said she’d also found “May 1970” in Paul R. Jones informative because she hadn’t known about the incident. 

 “I just found that very educational, and I think that’s so important for so many people to know,” she said.  

For more information about on- and off-campus galleries, patrons can check out the monthly art roundup on the Department of Art and Art History’s website and the First Friday website.