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BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art will present a series of events to mark the closing of American Sunrise, a special installation examining the beauty and intricacy of Indigenous art. On March 22, the museum will host a dynamic gallery talk with artists Cara Romero (Chemehuevi), Bobby Dues Wilson (Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota), and 2024 Don Tyson Prize for the Advancement of American Art recipient Nicholas Galanin (Tlingit-Unangax̂). On March 23, CHEROKEE FILM will screen three films at the Momentary that showcase authentic representation and preservation of Indigenous cultural heritage.
Later on March 23, former U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo will give an inspiring afternoon talk and reading in the Great Hall at Crystal Bridges.
GALLERY TALK: A CLOSING CONVERSATION IN AMERICAN SUNRISE
WHAT: Jordan Poorman Cocker (Kiowa), curator of Indigenous art and NAGPRA officer at Crystal Bridges, will moderate a conversation with Indigenous artists Cara Romero (Chemehuevi), Bobby Dues Wilson (Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota), and 2024 Don Tyson Prize recipient Nicholas Galanin (Tlingit-Unangax̂).
WHEN: Saturday, March 22, 2025 | 1-2 PM
WHERE: Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art | 600 Museum Way | Bentonville, AR 72712
HOW: This event is free and open to the public.
WHO: Jordan Poorman Cocker, curator of Indigenous art and NAGPRA officer at Crystal Bridges, along with Indigenous artists Cara Romero (Chemehuevi), Bobby Dues Wilson (Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota), and Tyson Prize recipient Nicholas Galanin (Tlingit-Unangax̂)
WHAT: Presented in partnership with Cherokee Film and the Cherokee Nation Language Department, this special event highlights Cherokee and Native American contributions to film and media. Guests will experience the power of Indigenous storytelling through the screening of three films that showcase authentic representation and preservation of cultural heritage.
Following the screenings, the Momentary will host an insightful panel discussion featuring community members who will share their perspectives on the significance of Native representation in media. This evening promises to inspire, educate, and celebrate the rich traditions and creativity of Indigenous storytellers.
WHEN: Sunday, March 23, 2025 | 11 AM
- ᏣᎳᎩ ᎢᏗᏬᏂᎯ: Let’s Talk Cherokee (~15 min) – Short animated Cherokee language lessons
- ᏚᏙᎥᎪᏪᎸ: Signature: The Cherokee Speakers Roll (26 min) – documentary about the Cherokee Nation speaker roll book project
- ᎾᏍᎩ ᏕᎦᏕᏯᏍᏛ ᎤᏟᏂᎩᏓ: The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power (67 min) – Episode 1 dubbed into Cherokee language
WHERE: the Momentary | 507 SE E Street | Bentonville, AR 72712
HOW: This event is free and open to the public.
WHO: ABOUT CHEROKEE FILM
The mission of Cherokee Film is to reclaim Cherokee and Native narratives by increasing representation across film and media while creating an ecosystem that supports production and drives economic activity in the Cherokee Nation.
Cherokee Film is owned by Cherokee Nation Businesses, the board-governed holding company of the largest Native American tribe in the U.S. One-hundred percent of the company’s profits support future business investments and the well-being of the tribe’s citizens through health care, education and job creation, ensuring better lives for Cherokees today and tomorrow.
AMERICAN SUNRISE WITH JOY HARJO
WHAT: An inspiring afternoon talk and reading with Joy Harjo, former Poet Laureate, in conjunction with the American Sunrise exhibition. Based on her poem of the same name, American Sunrise explores the themes of Native American history, culture, and resilience. Harjo will be in conversation with Jordan Poorman Cocker (Kiowa), the museum’s curator of Indigenous art and NAGPRA officer, as she shares her insights on the intersections of art, poetry, and storytelling, reflecting on her creative journey and the profound messages woven through the exhibition.
WHEN: Sunday, March 23, 2025 | 4 PM
WHERE: Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art | 600 Museum Way | Bentonville, AR 72712
HOW: Guests can purchase tickets in advance on the Crystal Bridges website
WHO: Joy Harjo, a member of the Mvskoke Nation, is the 23rd Poet Laureate of the United States and the second poet to be appointed a third term. She attended the Institute of American Indian Arts and later earned an MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Harjo began writing poetry as part of the Native empowerment movements and has since taught creative writing and American Indian Studies at multiple universities. She has authored ten poetry books, including An American Sunrise (2019) and Weaving Sundown in a Scarlet Light (2022). Her memoir Crazy Brave won the PEN USA Literary Award, and her second memoir, Poet Warrior, was published in 2021.
Harjo is an accomplished musician, performing with her band and solo, and has produced seven award-winning albums. She edited two anthologies highlighting Native poetry and literature and serves as the Executive Editor of When the Light of the World Was Subdued, Our Songs Came Through. Among her numerous honors are the 2024 Frost Medal, the 2023 Bollingen Prize, a National Humanities Medal, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from Americans for the Arts. Harjo lives on the Muscogee Nation Reservation in Oklahoma and is the inaugural Artist-in-Residence at Tulsa’s Bob Dylan Center.
American Sunrise: Indigenous Art at Crystal Bridges is sponsored by Dobkin Family Foundation.
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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 13 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 134 acres of Ozark landscape and was designed by the world-renowned Safdie Architects. A rare Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house was preserved and relocated to the museum grounds in 2015. Home of the prestigious Don Tyson Prize for the Advancement of American Art and Tyson Scholars of American Art Program, Crystal Bridges offers public programs including lectures, performances, classes, and teacher development opportunities. Some 478,375 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 114,000 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.
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