The second Monday of October is the federally recognized holiday Columbus Day but in Missoula, the date marks Indigenous Peoples' Day
The Missoula Art Museum honored Indigenous Peoples' Day by offering an adult art class, as well as recognizing two regional native artists.
The class, titled “Sense of Place Through an Indigenous Lens,” was taught by Co Carew, a descendant of Mescalero Apache. Carew says her indigenous arts-based research focuses on understanding a sense of place.
The museum is also celebrating the exhibitions of Native artists Rick Bartow and Lillian Pitt. Educator and Outreach Specialist, Jenny Bevill says this celebration is a core part of their mission to recognize its location on tribal lands.
“We want to break down all the barriers to entry and access for art at MAM, and the art that we have is contemporary art, so it’s the art of our time about the ideas and issues that are important to us today,” Bevill said. “So it’s highlighting the ideas that are important to tribal people, so Indigenous People’s Day is important to us.”
The works of Bartow and Pitt will be on display at MAM through mid-February.
