On Oct, 22, the Tread of Pioneers Museum will unveil the groundbreaking exhibit, “This Is Native Art,” showcasing the artwork of over 26 contemporary Native American artists.

Curated by artist, activist, and author Danielle SeeWalker, the exhibition originally opened at the Colorado State Capitol last winter as an initiative of the Colorado Creative Industries of the State of Colorado.

The project aimed to bring vibrant, diverse, and thought-provoking art into the state’s civic center. After displaying at the Capitol, the exhibit moved to the Golden History Museum this spring, where it concluded this month.

“We wanted to show that Native art is not frozen in time — it is modern, diverse, and deeply connected to lived experiences today,” said curator SeeWalker.

Candice Bannister, Executive Director of the Tread of Pioneers Museum, was in Golden this spring attending the Indigenous Connections Summit, which brought together Native leaders from across the country with cultural leaders from around the state.

She was inspired by the summit and the exhibit and inquired about the possibility of the exhibit traveling to the Tread of Pioneers Museum in Steamboat Springs. She has been working with the Golden History Museum, SeeWalker, and Colorado Creative Industries staff since the summit to make that vision a reality.

“Taking the exhibit on the road, from the State Capitol to Golden and then to the Western Slope in Steamboat Springs, underscores the significance and central theme of the exhibit,” said Bannister. “Native voices and experiences are not only an important part of Colorado’s history, but also its present and future. We want to echo this message and showcase these talents and stories first-hand.”

The artists’ powerful expressions demonstrate diversity while weaving a shared view of Indigenous knowledge, perspectives, and experiences. As contemporary Native American art gains increasing visibility across the country, this exhibition charts a glimpse into the often-untold stories of Native America and the significance of affirming Native modernism.

The exhibit showcases a range of aesthetics and compositions that challenge the narrative of what Native art is and what it can be. These and other contemporary Native artists reclaim narratives, confront historical injustices, and shape a future of self-representation.

“Exhibiting Indigenous art helps to counter the false narratives and misunderstandings that Native history and culture are static by demonstrating Indigenous peoples’ continuous existence, highlighting their resilience and sovereignty, and challenging colonial narratives and stereotypes,” said Bannister.  “In this exhibition, Native American communities share their diverse perspectives, stories, and talents, creating spaces of connection and more accurate understandings.”