Anishinaabe Art Exhibition to Open at the Detroit Institute of Arts

In a highly anticipated cultural moment, the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) is poised to host a major exhibition of Native American art—the first of its kind in over three decades at the institution and one of the largest such showings in the Midwest. Opening on September 28th, Contemporary Anishinaabe Art: A Continuation will gather over 90 works created by more than 60 Anishinaabe artists from across the Great Lakes region.

Collaboration and Cultural Dialogue

The exhibition will run until April 5, 2026, and promises visitors an exceptional breadth of media, including both traditional and contemporary forms. The featured works encompass intricate beadwork, birchbark creations, painting, sculpture, fashion, jewelry, photography, and film. The show’s fundamental concept was conceived by the DIA's assistant curator of Native American art, Dr. Denene De Quintal, whose vision was shaped through vital collaboration and guidance from an advisory board composed of respected artists from the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi nations.

Dr. De Quintal emphasized the spirit of partnership that defined the project, noting that the exhibition "could not have happened without the trust, guidance, and generous sharing of knowledge from our Anishinaabe advisory board and the artists themselves." She stated that the team worked together to ensure the exhibition accurately represents the "diversity and dynamism of contemporary Anishinaabe art while honoring the cultural traditions from which these works originate." What emerges from this effort, she concluded, is more than an art exhibition; it is a powerful "testament to the creativity, and continuing presence of the Anishinaabe people."

Themes of Resilience and Generational Knowledge

The selection of works is thematically rich, exploring powerful concepts such as water protection, the transmission of generational knowledge, and ancestral connection. Traditional symbols, such as the Thunderbird, are reinterpreted throughout the show using a contemporary artistic lens. Further solidifying the commitment to cultural preservation, the gallery texts and themes are presented in both English and Anishinaabemowin.

The exhibition features artists from a remarkable 21 different Anishinaabe tribal nations, bringing together respected figures like Jim Denomie, Monica Rickert-Bolter, Jason Quigno, George Morrison, and Kelly Church, alongside promising emerging voices such as ishkwaazhe Shane McSauby, Summer Yahbay, and Monica Jo Raphael.

Scholarly Documentation and Public Access

Accompanying the exhibition is a full-length, illustrated catalogue published by Yale University Press. The volume includes scholarly essays from leading Native intellectuals, including Matthew L. M. Fletcher, Dr. Christopher T. Green, Dr. Kendra Greendeer, and Dr. Shawnya Harris. This book serves as a critical reflection on how Anishinaabe art challenges prevalent, mainstream definitions of what constitutes both Indigenous and contemporary art, effectively amplifying voices that have historically been excluded from dominant museum narratives.

Contemporary Anishinaabe Art: A Continuation is open to all visitors and is included with the standard museum admission fee. Notably, admission remains free for all residents of Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne counties.