Event—Exhibition

Native Pop!

How Indigenous people have shaped popular culture.

Untitled ledger drawing by Holly Young, 2023. Ayer folio NC139.Y68 A4

Indigenous people are central to the story of popular culture in the Western Hemisphere, and popular culture is important to many Indigenous people and experiences. This exhibition, drawn from the Newberry’s growing collections for American Indian and Indigenous Studies, shares four centuries of Indigenous creators, athletes, activists, and fans engaged with pop—from pamphlets to comic books, and from daguerreotypes to video games.

Curators

Will Hansen, Roger and Julie Baskes Vice President for Collection and Library Services, and Curator of Americana.​
River Kerstetter (On^yoteˀa·ká· / Wisconsin Oneida), Independent artist, designer, writer, and educator.

Exhibition-Related Programming

Public Programs at the Newberry are free and open to all. Registration required in advance.

Imagining Indigenous Futures, March 27, 6pm

In this edition of “Conversations at the Newberry,” authors Darcie Little Badger and Joshua Whitehead discuss Indigenous approaches to Sci-Fi and Futurism.

Star Wars: A New Hope—Navajo Language Version, May 3, 1pm

The Newberry presents the Navajo Language version of Star Wars: A New Hope. Manuelito Wheeler, who led the Navajo dubbing project, will introduce the screening by sharing how this version was conceptualized and created.

More About the Space

The Trienens galleries include an introductory gallery and a larger primary gallery. Exhibitions mounted there typically include 40-70 items from the Newberry's vast collections. Exhibitions in the Trienens galleries allow visitors to explore compelling themes and historical content in depth. Examples of past exhibitions include: Pop-Ups Through the Ages and Viva La Libertad. Click here to view a photo of the galleries.

Supporters

Native Pop! is generously supported by the Henry Luce Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.