UTulsa’s Oklahoma Center for the Humanities is thrilled to be hosting a two-day symposium at 101 Archer, with an additional discussion taking place at Magic City Books.
When it comes to the sovereignty of Indigenous art, who is creating it—and who is enjoying it? Consuming it and benefitting from it … passing it on? From the music that moves us to the food that nourishes us, to the books we read and the typography that frames them, the ink we carry on our bodies to the clothes we wear, Native art is alive and thrives far beyond the confines of what is typically found, static, on gallery walls. And always has. Join us on September 11th & 12th and experience what Indigenous sovereignty means today through the entry point of art in its many iterations. Experts from across Turtle Island and from various Tribes are gathering in Tvlse Town to consider not just art as sovereignty, but sovereignty itself as art.
The symposium is free and open to all.
Registration is encouraged, but not required. Registering in advance helps us plan for seating and catering and ensures we have enough food and materials for everyone. Register for the symposium here!
Symposium Schedule
Friday, September 11, at 101 E. Archer Street
6:00 p.m. – Opening and Welcome by Sean Latham (University of Tulsa)
6:15 p.m. – Keynote Address: “Sovereignty and the Aesthetic” by Gerald Torres (Yale University)
7:00 p.m. – Panel: “What We Wear”: Body, Tattoo, and Fashion as Preservation Through Mobility
- Mary Kelsay (Unangax̂/Aleut, MEKA)
- Britt Reed (Choctaw descendant, Inchunwa Project)
- Nathalie Standingcloud (Cherokee, Creek, and Salish tattooist)
- Moderated by Lisa Fruichantie (Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, Inchunwa Project)
8:30 p.m. – Indigenous Fashion Show: Presented by Indigichic and Native Fashion Arts Collective co-founders Jessica Harjo (San Carlos Apache) and Veronica Pipestem (Otoe-Missouria), with a live performance by Frank Waln (Sicangu Lakota)
9:45 p.m. – Closing for Evening
Saturday, September 12, at 101 E. Archer Street
11:00 a.m. – Panel + Workshop: “What’s Your Type? Indigenous Typography and Story”
- Curated by M. Wright and Chris Skillern (Cherokee Nation)
12:30 p.m. – Lunch + Short Screening/chef discussion (Concurrent Sessions)
Lunch talk with Frybread Factory owners William and Annette Juethje (Cherokee Nation)
AND
Typography Workshop led by Chris Skillern (3rd floor)
2:30 p.m. – Panel: “Take Your Medicine: Music and Ceremonial Preservation”
- Angelica Lindsey (Cherokee Nation)
- Frank Waln (Sicangu Lakota)
- Aryn Ward (Muscogee [Creek] Nation Citizen with Yuchi Heritage)
- Richard York (Cherokee Nation)
- Moderated by Gerald Torres
Saturday, September 12, at Magic City Books (221 E. Archer Street)
4:00 p.m. – Indigenous Horror Talk: Jessica Doe (Cherokee Nation) in conversation with Hon. Greg Bigler (Euchee, enrolled with the Muscogee Nation of Oklahoma)
*Algonquin Room at Magic City Books