Oct 14, 2024 New exhibition highlights Marshallese Indigenous culture and rich local community Download high-resolution images. BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and the Arkansas Coalition of Marshallese (ACOM) today announced Navigating Lolelaplap, a new exhibition that honors the Marshallese community by infusing a reverence for tradition with an eagerness to celebrate Marshallese Indigenous culture here and now. Opening Saturday, October 19, the focus show features objects and stories shared from community members and works created by local artists and makers. In the Marshallese language, “Lolelaplap” is the name for the Marshall Islands. Located in the Pacific Ocean about halfway between Hawaii and the Philippines, the island nation consists of five islands and 29 atolls (ring-shaped coral islands that encircle a lagoon). While separated by more than 6,000 miles, Lolelaplap and Northwest Arkansas share a close connection: Northwest Arkansas is the home to the largest concentration of Marshall Islanders in the United States. Navigating Lolelaplap explores that intergenerational connection rooted right here in the region. Developed through a multi-year partnership between ACOM and Crystal Bridges, the show features works including Canoe of One Community, a traditional kōrkōr canoe built by master boat-builder Liton Beasa in 2021 on the Crystal Bridges grounds. The exhibition also includes Manit Day Weaving (2023), a woven mat made of pandanus leaves and spray-painted by local artist Helamr Anitok; and two dresses, one of which was made by Tie Lawin and Fressana Lawin that features a stick chart design and was worn at last year’s Stroll the Atolls event in Springdale. Crystal Bridges will commemorate the opening of Navigating Lolelaplap with a celebration on October 19 featuring free family activities, art making, a gallery talk, guided tour of the exhibition, and more. Navigating Lolelaplap is on view at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art from October 19, 2024, through March 31, 2025. The exhibition is free and open to the public. For more information, please visit the museum’s website. WHAT: Navigating Lolelaplap opening day WHEN: Saturday, October 19 Early American Art Gallery 1 – 1:45 PM | Opening Conversation with Arkansas Coalition of Marshallese Chief Executive Officer Melisa Laelan and Crystal Bridges Curator of Contemporary Art Alejo Benedetti 1:45 – 2:30 PM | Guided Tour of Navigating Lolelaplap Durand & Estes Studios 1 – 4 PM | Drop-in Artmaking: Stick Charts 1 – 4 PM | Weaving Studio Demo Walker Landing 12:30, 1:30, and 2:30 PM | Traditional Marshallese Performances WHERE: Crystal Bridges | 600 Museum Way, Bentonville, AR 72712 WHO: Families, art lovers, the Arkansas Coalition of Marshallese, and more. WHY: Celebrating the opening of Navigating Lolelaplap, Crystal Bridges’ newest focus show. HOW: Navigating Lolelaplap is free and open to the public. Media interviews will be available following the guided tour of Navigating Lolelaplap at 2:30 PM on Saturday, October 19. Media should email their RSVP for the Opening Day Celebration to Crystal Bridges Public Relations Coordinator, Emma Claybrook, at emma.claybrook@crystalbridges.org. ### About Arkansas Coalition of Marshallese Arkansas Coalition of Marshallese (ACOM) is a non-profit organization based in Northwest Arkansas. Founded in 2011 by Melisa Laelan, the organization promotes the preservation and revitalization of the Marshallese language and culture. Its mission is to empower the Marshallese community through culturally sensitive programs through education, leadership, policy advocacy and holistic services. Learn more about ACOM by visiting the organization’s website at www.arkansasmarshallese.org. About Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art The mission of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is to welcome all to celebrate the American spirit in a setting that unites the power of art with the beauty of nature. Since opening in 2011, the museum has welcomed more than 12.2 million visitors across its spaces, with no cost for admission. Crystal Bridges was founded in 2005 as a non-profit charitable organization by arts patron and philanthropist, Alice Walton. The collection spans five centuries of American masterworks from early American to current day and is enhanced by temporary exhibitions. The museum is nestled on 120 acres of Ozark landscape and was designed by world-renowned architect Moshe Safdie. A rare Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house was preserved and relocated to the museum grounds in 2015. Crystal Bridges offers public programs including lectures, performances, classes, and teacher development opportunities. Some 418,375 school children have participated in the Willard and Pat Walker School Visit program, which provides educational experiences for school groups at no cost to the schools. Additional museum amenities include a restaurant, gift store, library, and five miles of art and walking trails. In February 2020, the museum opened the Momentary in Downtown Bentonville (507 SE E Street), conceived as a platform for the art, food, and music of our time. In 2026, Crystal Bridges will complete a nearly 100,000 square foot expansion that will allow the museum to expand access for all. For more information, visit CrystalBridges.org. The museum is located at 600 Museum Way, Bentonville, Arkansas 72712. Media Contact: media@crystalbridges.org.
