Exhibitions & Events
All of Our Relations
Presenting Seneca and Tuscarora Artists for National Native American Heritage Month
Join us for “All of Our Relations”, a month-long presentation and celebration of the Seneca & Tuscarora Nations at the Carnegie Art Center.
The Carnegie will host weekly Special Events to celebrate.
All of these events are free and open to the public.
Date: Thursday, November 2, 6-8PM
OPENING RECEPTION OF THE GROUP EXHIBITION
Date: Saturday, November 11 at 1PM
CULTURAL STORYTELLING: “Re-Thinking Thanksgiving” with Perry Ground
Date: Saturday, November 18th at 1pm
SMOKE DANCE DEMONSTRATION WITH Q&A with Jordan Smith & Co.
Date: Wednesday, November 29, 6-8PM
CLOSING RECEPTION & ARTIST TALK featuring artists in the group show.
Exhibition on view: November 1-29, 2023
In partnership with Seneca Nation community member Olivia Maybee, the Carnegie Art Center will host a group art exhibition featuring tribal members of the Seneca & Tuscarora Nations during the month of November 2023 in correlation with National Native American Heritage Month.
Visual artists in the group show will include Seneca artists Hayden Haynes, Sam Jacobs, Mary Jacobs and Olivia Maybee in addition to Tuscarora artists Robert DAlimonte, Erwin Printup and Kehala Smith.
More about the Exhibition & History:
In 1904, Scottish American industrialist Andrew Carnegie built and donated the Carnegie Library, now known as the Carnegie Art Center, to the City of North Tonawanda. Industrialists such as Carnegie played a great role in the shaping of American society during the time period known as the “Gilded Age” where major social and economical changes took place. As the owner of the Carnegie Steel Company, Carnegie was one of the first successful business owners to make millions during this time period. But while major business was moving forward economically, other groups of people, such as Native Americans were experiencing negative changes in their lifestyles. As railroad use became more common due to industrialization, many people moved westward and destroyed the tribe’s homes and land leading many to relocate. There were many massacres and strategic initiatives to forcefully move or kill Native American communities.
This art exhibition and accompanying events will inspire an important conversation about these historical atrocities (directly or indirectly caused by Carnegie) and will shine a light on the resiliency of Native American communities and how they have remained a powerful and culturally imperative force in the Western NY region.
The group exhibition will showcase Native American contemporary artists as well as traditional Indigenous art forms and cultural bearers. This artist showcase will feature the federally recognized tribes of Western New York and their continual work and sharing of their traditional art forms.
All are invited to experience this exciting event! The “All of Our Relations” exhibition and accompanying events are free to attend and open to all ages.
CAC Gallery Hours:
Wed & Thurs 6-8PM
Fri & Sat 12–4PM
“This program is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrant program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by Arts Services Inc.”
Special Thank You to Our Sponsors:
Tallchief Territory – Home of Native Pride
and
Gail Komar, owner of Gail’s Tobacco & JC Seneca Reservation
The Way I See It
Artwork by Michael Cancilla
Opening Reception:
Thursday, November 16, 6-8PM
On view November 1- 30, 2023