Here in a Homemade Forest: Common Reading Connections Exhibition

DATES: August 22, 2023 – March 9, 2024
TIMES: Tue. –Sat., 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

Inspired by Washington State University’s 2023-24 Common Reading Book, Braiding Sweetgrass, this exhibition highlights crucial themes from Braiding Sweetgrass through the lens of art, inviting visitors from all walks of life to engage in an ongoing conversation about how to prioritize a reciprocal relationship with the land, with each other, and with other living beings. To respond effectively to the challenging and uplifting examples offered by author, Robin Wall Kimmerer, we encourage dialogue that includes our whole community, honoring each person’s perspectives on: Traditional wisdom, cultural practice, scientific knowledge, teaching and parenting, environmentalism, and the importance of art, beauty, and storytelling. Drawing on a diverse selection of artworks and cultural objects created by both Native and non-Native artists, Here in a Homemade Forest: Common Reading Connections offers varied opportunities to engage deeply with themes from Braiding Sweetgrass.

The exhibition presents prints from Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts, a fine art printmaking studio on the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation; artworks from the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art WSU; and cultural materials from the Museum of Anthropology WSU. Additional objects are on loan from Washington’s State Art Collection. The exhibition is guest curated by Michael Holloman, an Associate Professor with the Department of Art WSU and an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation.

LOCATION | The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art WSU is located in the Crimson Cube (on Wilson Road across from Martin Stadium and the CUB) on the WSU Pullman campus. For more information please visit museum.wsu.edu/about.