Autry National Center

Location/Dates:

Museum of the American West at Griffith Park
November 6, 2009 - November 7, 2010

The Art of Native American Basketry: A Living Tradition is a comprehensive exhibition presented by the Autry National Center. Baskets from more than 100 cultures, arranged in eleven geographic regions, will be revealed in this selection of artworks from the world's largest collection of Native American baskets.

More than 250 objects will be on view, ranging in size from small Pomo feather baskets made for sale to tourists, to massive Apache olla baskets used for storing large quantities of seeds. Because the works shown have been selected from a remarkably wide-ranging and distinguished collection, visitors will be able to see how the materials, techniques, and designs of the baskets vary from region to region, reflecting different physical environments and traditions. Also evident will be the distinctive styles of individual artists, whose signatures can be instantly recognizable to other weavers. The Autry has invited thirteen contemporary basketweavers to serve as consultants in research and planning and will purchase a basket from each consultant to add to the permanent collection.

The Art of Native American Basketry is drawn from the nearly 14,000 baskets in the collection of the Southwest Museum of the American Indian, considered to be one of the premier holdings of its kind in the world. The exhibition will be presented at the Autry’s Museum of the American West in Griffith Park. Both institutions are part of the Autry National Center, an intercultural organization dedicated to expanding our understanding of the diverse peoples of the American West.