Indigenous Perspectives
November 6, 2024
Triennial 2025 Curator Tess Lukey joined us to discuss the diverse practices of the Indigenous artists participating in the Triennial, dive into the community engagement that sets this Triennial apart from other exhibitions, and explain why you might want to avoid raking up all those leaves in your backyard.
Indigeneity is a central theme of the upcoming Triennial. What does that bring to the exhibition, both on its own and under the larger thematic umbrella of The Exchange?
Indigeneity is crucial to the Triennial. A good definition of Indigeneity in this context is related to global indigeneity; it is being of a specific time, place, and culture. There is also a sense of genetic and cultural belonging within that and the inclusion of shared values tied to all of it.
Boston is a historically significant city; to tell these stories equitably, we have to include Indigenous artists who have a unique perspective on that history. It's really exciting that a significant number of Indigenous artists are participating in the upcoming Triennial. Not many public art exhibitions—or art exhibitions in general—are so focused on holding Indigeneity as a guiding principle; it tends to fall into larger initiatives but doesn't end up being featured prominently. It’s important to the Triennial that Indigeneity be equally important to its curation as the other guiding themes.
As you said, several Indigenous artists are participating in the upcoming Triennial: Nicholas Galanin, New Red Order, and Cannupa Hanska Luger. You yourself are a member of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head Aquinnah. How does each individual artist’s practice speak to different aspects of Indigeneity in the world today? How are you approaching the subject as an Indigenous curator?
It’s essential that we have tribal nations from coast to coast represented throughout this Triennial. Nicholas Galanin is a Lingít and Unangax artist. His work is critical of colonial structures, utilizing hybridization and indigenous innovation to perform those critiques. His work for the Triennial is significant because there are very few Native monuments in the United States that are accurate. He turns our ideas of what a monument can be on its head.
Cannupa Hanska Luger looks at Indigenous futurisms in his work, asking what happens when Indigenous perspectives are at the forefront of dominant narratives. He creates these surreal installations that move beyond something grounded in our current reality. He is extremely smart and creative. When you bring those qualities together in an artist, you get humor, satire, and critical narratives, plus you get a look toward a future where all these incredible ideas can coalesce.
New Red Order imbues their work with a lot of humor and satire. They provide an easy inroad to learn about that history for those who may not be comfortable or are unsure of how to relate it. Their work is funny, Instagrammable, and in your face.
This Triennial is not just looking at North American indigeneity; it's looking at Indigeneity across the globe. I want to bring Adela Goldbard up, too, because she's looking at Indigeneity in a more global sense. Adela’s work will touch on both local history and history across other Indigenous communities.
I'm Aquinnah Wampanoag from Martha's Vineyard. I've lived in Massachusetts my whole life. I'm really proud to be able to uplift other Indigenous artists and artists interested in working in collaboration with Indigenous communities.
Adela's participation adds the perspective of global Indigeneity, which is really important because colonialism is, of course, a global phenomenon. For someone who may just stumble across a Triennial installation by one of these artists, what do you hope they take away from that experience?
A lot of Indigenous public art projects are collaborative and involve input and participation from community members. I hope that there is a process of co-creation that ensures that these artworks reflect their collective values and histories. I hope that community members have a sense of ownership over the projects as they engage in conversations about the work. I hope that a visitor can connect with the works on a personal level as they serve as focal points for community gatherings, discussions, and educational programs. These works can tell stories and connect viewers to Indigenous teachings and histories in ways that are accessible, powerful, and beautiful.
Community engagement is central to the Triennial’s programming. What are you hoping the programming surrounding these works brings, not only to Boston, but also to the conversations currently taking place about contemporary art?
All the ‘Ennials are trying to incorporate Indigenous voices. I want ours to provide a platform and serious education for everyone attending, which can be achieved through dynamic programming. Boston is a city that thrives through its transient nature; people passing through can learn from community members and vice versa. I also hope that people recognize this Triennial and its programming as a different take on traditional exhibitions that sometimes run on outdated modes of thinking. The Boston Public Art Triennial is a truly innovative exhibition in many ways and I hope that people come away from this unique experience with appreciation.
We’ve talked about the community engagement involved; can you say more about how the Triennial is an innovative exhibition?
The Triennial’s title is The Exchange. Exchange implies relationships that are structured to pass information between different parties. There will be reciprocity between the communities and artists. The Triennial artwork is being placed in the city after careful consideration to ensure that it is impactful and important to the surrounding communities. The Triennial is also a platform for local experts and organizations to discuss and present their own work.
Collaboration with local communities is central to the Triennial’s curatorial framework. You also talk a lot about collaboration with the land or land stewardship. Public art has a unique relationship to the land. How do you hope that the Triennial will invite people to reframe their ideas of land stewardship?
The land is just as much a collaborator in this process as the people are. We must pay attention to the sustainability of our practices: how we're taking care of the spaces that the art will occupy. The green spaces in Boston where people gather are places of respite, where communities have forged connections. We want to ensure that we are light on the land. I was reading the other day that raking up your leaves in the fall actually reduces the carbon in our land, causing even further carbonization of our atmosphere. If people just let their leaves decompose, there would be a 32% increase in carbon in our land. What we remove from or add to spaces has an impact.
There are so many elements to consider when curating a public art exhibition. Are there any exhibitions you’ve seen recently that stood out to you?
My other job is associate curator of Native American Art at the Trustees of Reservations, and deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum is now a part of the Trustees. DeCordova used to do something called the New England Biennial. When I came to the Trustees, I said, We need to change the structure because this is no longer working for us. We are a land conservation organization and a museum. Because of that, we must look at the land as a collaborator. They were looking for interventions in spaces that touched on things like sustainability and biodiversity. We are now working on restructuring and rethinking how we're presenting art.
You are also an artist yourself. How does your own practice influence your approach to curation?
As both a curator and a practicing artist, I hold a deep understanding of materials and processes. I'm a potter and a basket weaver, but I also practice other traditional methods of making. My wife would tell you I'm a dabbler because I love trying new things. You could say I'm a collector of techniques. Learning all those different processes allows me to understand how the work will interact with different environments, the process of making it, and how long it takes to create work in certain mediums. All of this influences how and what I curate. My knowledge as an artist culminates in my curatorial practice, as I uplift artists, crafters, and makers across different fields and spaces.