• Indigenous Artists

  • Montana is home to a thriving, potent array of Indigenous visual artists. Their work occupies the full range of mediums and forms, styles and subject matters. Some of these artists embrace tradition, some seek to break new ground. Some of their work is politically charged, some is made simply to add beauty of the world. The ambitious, forward-thinking efforts of Indigenous artists contribute mightily to shaping the state’s contemporary art scene in all its vitality and verve.

  • LEDGER ART Ledger art derives from the practice of pictorially narrating events—battles, winter counts, heroic acts—on rocks and buffalo hides... LEDGER ART Ledger art derives from the practice of pictorially narrating events—battles, winter counts, heroic acts—on rocks and buffalo hides... LEDGER ART Ledger art derives from the practice of pictorially narrating events—battles, winter counts, heroic acts—on rocks and buffalo hides... LEDGER ART Ledger art derives from the practice of pictorially narrating events—battles, winter counts, heroic acts—on rocks and buffalo hides... LEDGER ART Ledger art derives from the practice of pictorially narrating events—battles, winter counts, heroic acts—on rocks and buffalo hides... LEDGER ART Ledger art derives from the practice of pictorially narrating events—battles, winter counts, heroic acts—on rocks and buffalo hides... LEDGER ART Ledger art derives from the practice of pictorially narrating events—battles, winter counts, heroic acts—on rocks and buffalo hides... LEDGER ART Ledger art derives from the practice of pictorially narrating events—battles, winter counts, heroic acts—on rocks and buffalo hides... LEDGER ART Ledger art derives from the practice of pictorially narrating events—battles, winter counts, heroic acts—on rocks and buffalo hides... LEDGER ART Ledger art derives from the practice of pictorially narrating events—battles, winter counts, heroic acts—on rocks and buffalo hides... LEDGER ART Ledger art derives from the practice of pictorially narrating events—battles, winter counts, heroic acts—on rocks and buffalo hides... LEDGER ART Ledger art derives from the practice of pictorially narrating events—battles, winter counts, heroic acts—on rocks and buffalo hides... LEDGER ART Ledger art derives from the practice of pictorially narrating events—battles, winter counts, heroic acts—on rocks and buffalo hides...

    LEDGER ART

    Ledger art derives from the practice of pictorially narrating events—battles, winter counts, heroic acts—on rocks and buffalo hides by Plains Indians predominantly. As buffalo became scarce in the mid-19th century, discarded pages from the ledger books of white European descendants allowed Native storytelling to continue even under the dismal conditions of boarding schools and reservations. In the 1960s, ledger art became a symbol of resilience, resistance, and the indomitable human spirit, and it is proudly practiced by Indigenous artists today.

    The largest collection of ledger art is held at the Newberry, a cultural research institution in Chicago, which describes it as “part of a long tradition of Native people documenting their history on their own terms. Ledger art…counters harmful stereotypes, reasserts cultural continuity and sovereignty, and emphasizes connections through time.”

    Click the button below to view ledger works by contemporary Montana-based artists.

     

  • Please follow the links below to view work currently available at Radius Gallery by Indigenous artists.

    If you would like to be notified of new artworks by any of the artists listed below, please indicate your interests HERE.

  • Situated on the traditional, ancestral territories of the Séliš (Salish or “Flathead”) and Qlispé (upper Kalispel or Pend d’Oreille) peoples, Radius Gallery is committed to respecting the Indigenous stewards of the land it occupies. These rich cultures are fundamental to artistic life in Montana and to the mission of Radius Gallery.