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Picturing the American Buffalo: George Catlin and Modern Native American Artists examines representations of buffalo and their integration into the lives of Native Americans on the Great Plains in the 1830s and in the twentieth century.

“Sharing Honors and Burdens: Renwick Invitational 2023” focuses on fresh and nuanced visions by six contemporary Native American and Alaska Native artists who express the honors and burdens that connect people to one another.

In the 19th century, American bison (commonly called the buffalo) thundered across the Great Plains of the American West in the millions. They symbolized the abundance of the land, and for centuries played a vital role in the lives of Native Americans, providing sustenance and spiritual nourishment. Wild and majestic, revered and hunted, buffalo have long captured the popular imagination, and their iconic images figure prominently in America’s art. “Picturing the American Buffalo: George Catlin and Modern Native American Artists” considers the representation of the American buffalo from two perspectives: a selection of paintings by George Catlin (1796–1872) and works by modern Native artists Woody Crumbo, Paul Goodbear, Allan Houser, Julián Martínez, Jaune Quick-To-See Smith, Fritz Scholder, Awa Tsireh, Thomas Vigil and Beatien Yazz. In the 1830s, Catlin journeyed west five times to record, as he called it, the “manners and customs” of Native cultures, painting scenes and portraits from life. His ambitious project was largely fueled by the fear that American Indians, the great buffalo herds and a way of life would one day vanish. The 20th-century sculpture and works on paper included in this installation advance a narrative reassuringly different from Catlin’s: one of vibrance and continuity. With an innovative use of line, form and color, each work affirms both tribal presence and the enduring importance of the buffalo to American Indian cultures. All 45 works on view are from the permanent collection of the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

The Renwick Invitational 2023

Women have been a predominant creative force behind Native American art, yet their individual contributions, for centuries, have largely remained unrecognized and anonymous. In the first major thematic exhibition to explore the artistic contributions of Native women, “Hearts of Our People: Native Women Artists” celebrates the achievements of these Native women and establishes their rightful place in the art world. 

Anya Montiel on her work as Curator of American and Native American Women’s Art and Craft

Marie Watt honors veterans and Indigenous communities through simple objects that hold powerful stories

An unknown artist combined three portraits to form this "slat" or three-way painting.

The Betsy James Wyeth Fellowship in Native American Art seeks to foster new scholarship on Native art of the United States that centers and elevates Indigenous methodologies, knowledges, and communities. This one-year residential fellowship is jointly hosted by the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) and the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) and provides scholars with access to the collections and research resources of both museums.

Award winning composer Raven Chacon combines Diné (Navajo) worldviews with Western classical and avant-garde music traditions

An in-depth look at the ceremonial robe Between Worlds (Child's Robe) by Lily Hope (Tlingit)

Discover how artist Kelly Church is ensuring that centuries of Indigenous traditions are preserved for future generations with her beautifully woven basketry.

Betsy James Wyeth Fellowship in Native American Art Instructions for Application Materials

SAAM is committed to collecting and sharing art by Native makers whose perspectives and experiences are shaping American culture and identity.