On any given trip to the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, visitors can explore the corridors and see a beautiful collection of pottery, baskets, woodcarvings, masks and other types of artifacts. 

 However, many objects are not for the public because they are sacred, sensitive or only meant for the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indian and Cherokee Nation communities.

The MCI directors and staff are actively removing these objects and respectfully relocating them to their proper places. In those pieces’ former places now stand a thought-provoking assortment of contemporary art from members of the EBCI and Cherokee Nation communities known as “Disruption”

“Disruption” is more than just an exhibit. It’s a way for the museum and the artist to show works that engage visitors — both community and visitors alike — and invite them to think deeper about present-day Cherokee culture and how it relates to their traditions, history and stories.

With the placement of these contemporary works, the flow of the exhibit’s timeline is “disrupted,” thus compelling the viewer to stop, look, read and question why that particular piece was chosen for that specific display or area. 

A recent “Disruption” artist panel made up of five local EBCI community artists — Rhiannon Skye Tafoya (EBCI, Santa Clara Pueblo), Atsei Cooper (EBCI), Jakeli Swimmer (EBCI), Tyra Maney (EBCI, Dine) and Lori Reed (EBCI) — was held.

The artists discussed a wide array of topics, ranging from their personal stories and inspirations to their thoughts and feelings on the importance of positive representation in Indigenous art and the treatment and care of the community’s sacred spaces and artifacts.

The discussion began as each artist introduced themselves, giving their backstory and discussing their chosen medium. As each artist spoke of themselves and their work, it was clear that they cherish deep seeded memories of time spent with parents, grandparents and elders — listening to their stories, making art and learning passed-down traditions.

“I find inspiration in my lineage,” Tafoya said. “I feel like when I come home is when I make the most important art.”

Maney, an artist who works with the museum, resolutely conveyed to the audience that she not only finds inspiration from objects she works with every day but from women within her community and other native communities, leading her to depict the intense femininity of indigenous women.

“Even still today, when you see the representation of native women it’s through MMIW (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women),” Maney said. “It’s through a lot of trauma and tragedy we are a matrilineal society, and our women are strong. They are leaders and we can depict them in those ways, that there is more to them then all this intergenerational trauma.”

Inspiration can come from so much, but the overall message from these artists was that of the extreme importance of their communities, families and ancestral land. A point brought up by more than one artist during the discussion was that of evolution, that native art doesn’t need to be kept in the bubble of the past only to be done in a specific traditional way. 

Cultures evolve, grow and mature with the ever-changing waves of social discord. The inevitably of growth and evolution are achievable without losing any meaning and substance. And, in the case of “Disruption,” these traditional roots are embedded within each artist’s practice.

Ceramic art by Lori Reed

Evolution doesn’t mean the end. It means growth, having places and people from these communities help guide that advancement. This will only encourage others to see the importance of creating work that continues to represent and uplifts what it means to be a Cherokee person living in the present world.

When asked what each artist would like the viewers to take away, more so community members rather than tourists, Swimmer communicated that he hoped that the museum does not revert to catering mainly to tourists and that it — along with the community — will continue to uplift the local artist and help facilitate these changes.

“What I’m advocating is that we are going somewhere else, let’s think what that title (‘Disruption’) means. You have to disrupt the status quo, that was the whole premise of my cartoon page was disrupting, changing and bringing out that we’re not one-sided,” Swimmer said. “We aren’t just one opinion and not just one person speaks on behalf of us — it’s up to us to disrupt the narrative and get a little uncomfortable at times.”

“When people and community members come through ‘Disruption,’ I want them to be curious. I want them to feel comfortable asking questions. I want community members to feel comfortable enough to take up space,” Cooper added. “We wouldn’t have all this without the struggle of our grandparents and parents. I want disruption to have that space to show that we don’t have to struggle to sell ourselves and our talents. We can uplift each other because we do see so much of that talent within us as a people.”

To disrupt is to grow, to outgrow the box in which we feel most comfortable. That does not come at the cost of tradition and lessons from the past. Sometimes we need to feel uncomfortable. We need to have that pause — the disruption in our lives, to allow something to evolve into something more.

The 32 artists represented in “Disruption” are taking on this role in various ways to contribute to moving forward, in a meaningful and impactful way that only adds and elevates other community members — now and in the future.

Want to learn more?

If you would like to tune into the “Disruption” panel, you can do so by visiting the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indian website at ebci.com and clicking on the archived live streams.

To see a full list of the artists showing during the “Disruption” show at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, you can visit the exhibits page at mci.org. The “Disruption” showcase will be running until September 2023.