“Indigenous artists take on pop culture in a new show at SAW gallery” dates back to late 2016 and discusses the dismantling of stereotypes that have been set against Indigenous culture and people. Approaching it by conjoining Indigenous art and popular culture. This event was held in Ottawa, Canada displaying pieces of indigenous artists in the region. It's a process of assimilation and embracing indigenous identity with both.

The Santa Fe Indian Market is where I see this type of concept slowly making its way into the show every year. I’m sure the SAW gallery art display isn’t one of the first but it's good to hear how other indigenous artists throughout the americas are embracing this way of making an adjustment into modern day society.

Another article I found interesting “ Pop culture and the sacred: and interview with Kevin McKenzie”, is a discussion over the conjunction of bringing buffalo skulls, a significant animal within indigenous tribes in north America and painting them with similar designs of hotrods. With culture protocols McKenzie was allowed to use the sacred buffalo skulls in his art work by molding and casting the skulls. In his early years he grew up with Catholicism and later finding his indigenous identity. He expressed he was uncertain at first to take action to create the buffalo skulls as it would probably develop a culture conflict with “the indigenous one” and “ the catholic one”. But the outcome was different than what he doubtfully expected. With that opportunity being fulfilled, McKenzie was later asked to become a professor in the department of Visual & Aboriginal Art at Brandon University in Manitoba.

The Guardian article, “ These aren’t extinct cultures- indigneous art gets a stage at the MET '' by Sayej, discusses the true recognition of Indigenous communities like the Lenape people. The MET (Metropolitan Museum of Art) is located on the Lenape island of Manhattan (Mannahatta) in Lenapehoking, the Lenape homeland. They have made an effort of acknowledging the Lenape land by publishing a message at the entrance for awareness of visitors that they stand on Indigneous land. Not only did it begin from there but they made room to introduce indigenous art at the MET. To put an end to Indigenous stereotypes and reverse the perspectives of visitors. By displaying Indigenous art from tribes throughout America.

Another article I found “Beyond Inclusion” from Art News and in the Art In America context. Green Talks about the expansion of the geographic and cultural scope of “American Art” by rethinking and decolonizing display practices and including Indigenous art in museums. It branches mentioning various artists like pueblo pottery makers Maria & Julian Martinez. The article mentions the MET as well as they may have addressed the issue by acknowledging the land that the museum is built upon but they’ve failed to engage with living communities around the region. They may have included Indigenous artifacts into their displays but that doesn’t truly define decolonization. As quoted in the article, “Inclusion alone is not decolonization. Expanding the scope of “American art” must also mean changing its methodologies and display practices in ways that respect and maintain Indigenous values. If these values are suppressed, then the Americanizing of Indigenous art will remain a colonizing project…”

The Los Angeles Times article, “How Native Americans in the arts are preserving tradition in a changing world” discusses the efforts being made from Indigenous artists throughout the U.S. Many of the indigenous artists use their work to redefine “authenticity” based on the art they practice. Just like the efforts writer, Gordon Johnson of the Pala reservation located in California. He illustrates his experiences on his home land. By sharing these experiences he has published a few books in his life. His reasoning is simple, “I write hoping I send stuff out there and maybe someone connects with me [and] I’m connecting with people.” (p.5, G. Johnson, 2018) Another indigenous artist mentioned is photographer and filmmaker, Pamela Peters of the Navajo Reservation. Through her work she documents and shares experiences from urban Indians and her life living in Los Angeles. She argues that the art market only portrays indigenous art as a commodity and not a creation of meaningfulness. The context later shifts into history when Richard Henry Pratt captured and imprisoned a few plains bands at Ft. Marion in Florida. Pratt provided art supplies while individuals of each band documented events on paper documents and animal hides. These depictions are called “winter counts” and during that time Pratt used these creations to sell away as commodities. Another piece of history mentioned in the article was during the era of the Fred Harvey Tourism. Tourists were attracted to the southwest for the enrichment of pueblo & navajo art displayed by artists in the Santa Fe plaza. The event was first called The Southwest Indian Fair and Industrial Arts Exhibition and first started in 1922. Later in 1959 after a few changes, it was later reorganized as the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts and what is now known as the Santa Fe Indian Market.