Indigenous New York, Curatorially Speaking presents key findings of a closed curatorial colloquium that precedes the public event. The curatorial colloquium examines four key inquiries: indigenous and non-indigenous epistemologies and methodologies; the non-colonial museum; challenges of collaborative curation; the growing indigenization of international art. These findings emerge from in-depth conversations between curators in the field and will focus on New York as a locus of indigenous activity and potential. Scheduled in collaboration with CUNY’s conference Scales of Visibility in Global Indigenous Art the previous day, the ultimate goal of this convening is to provide the opportunity for meaningful exchange between colleagues and to examine how a fuller consideration of indigenous production might reconfigure regimes of thought and practice.

The program initiative Indigenous New York declares New York indigenous terrain, and brings together artists, curators, critics and scholars of Native American, First Nations, and indigenous descent along with their non-indigenous peers and colleagues to probe this claim and explore ways to affirm it both locally and in a global context. As indigenous artists, curators, critics, and scholars are increasingly sought-after participants in biennales, exhibitions, conferences, and residencies worldwide the initiative seeks to provide for a moment of reflection.

Presenters
Indigenous and Non-indigenous Epistemologies and Methodologies
Trista Mallory: Instructor for Curatorial Studies, Whitney Museum Independent Study Program.
Cheyanne Turions: Independent Curator; Artistic Director of Trinity Square Video and Director of No Reading After the Internet.

The Non-colonial Museum
Wanda Nanibush: Curator of Canadian and Indigenous Art, Art Gallery of Ontario
Elisabeth Sussman: Sondra Gilman Curator of Photography, Whitney Museum, New York

Challenges of Curating Collaboratively
David Garneau: Artist, Associate Professor, Visual Arts Department, University of Regina
David Joselit: Distinguished Professor in the Art History PhD Program at the CUNY Graduate Center, New York

The Growing Indigenization of International Art
Candice Hopkins: Curatorial Advisor, documenta 14
Ruba Katrib: Curator, SculptureCenter, New York

A festive reception follows the presentations.

Upcoming colloquia are entitled Indigenous New York, Critically Speaking (March 2017) and Indigenous New York, Artist Perspectives (May </b>2017).

Indigenous New York is a public program and research initiative of the Vera List Center developed in collaboration with artist Alan Michelson and in consultation with artist Jackson Polys. It facilitates collaborations and exchanges among contemporary curators, artists, critics and scholars through public events and colloquia that focus on indigeneity and the legacy of colonialism and position the local as evidence of concerns shared globally. It is supported, in part, by the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation, the Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation, members of the Vera List Center Advisory Committee, and is part of the Vera List Center’s 2015-2017 curatorial programs on Post Democracy.