Exhibits | Center of Southwest Studies

The Return of the Force explores the significant influence the Star Wars movies have had on contemporary Native artists through an innovative collection of work that addresses themes such as resistance, place, belonging, and Indigenous knowledge. The exhibition will open on Wednesday, September 27 at 5:30 PM in the Center of Southwest Studies exhibit galleries, with an artist panel from 6:00 PM to 6:45 PM in the Lyceum. The Return of the Force will run through August 2024 and include a suite of programming throughout the year.

Monumental Textiles & Miniature Masterpieces showcases pieces from the Center of Southwest Studies’ permanent collections, which exemplify the skill, attention to detail, and artistry of their makers. The exhibit features Diné, Pueblo, and Hispanic weavings alongside miniature paintings, textiles, pottery, and more from The Durango Collection® and the Southwest Textile and Art Collections.

Location: CSWS Stairwell

In May 2023, curatorial fellow Elise Boulanger (Osage Nation) co-taught a Maymester EXCEL course with internationally renowned artist Nanibah Chacon (Diné, Chicana) at the Center of Southwest Studies. Students participating in this Maymester course designed and painted a mural informed by research conducted in the Center’s museum collections and conversations about cultural celebration and belonging, thoughtful representations of non-dominant cultural values and worldviews, and connection to land. The mural, which embraces Traditional Cultural Knowledge, references a Navajo sampler-style textile and incorporates historical and contemporary weavings from the Center of Southwest Studies’ Durango Collection® of Southwest textiles, sash belts from the collaborating artists’ communities, and other Center collections items.

Location: Delaney Library

Explores photography in Durango, CO. throughout history in an exhibit of images and photographic equipment. Featuring a collection of Polaroid photographs taken by Fort Lewis College students, staff, and alumni in the Fall of 2022; inspired by Polaroid cameras and photographs found in the Center of Southwest Studies.

Curated by Anthropology & Studio Art student, AJ Lopez.

Also on display in Delaney Library is a portion of the Center’s 2011 exhibit Frontier Blues: The Legacy of Fort Lewis College.

Location: Delaney Library

Students, faculty, staff, and family gathered on November 30th to see The Stories We Wear exhibit in McPherson Chapel, alongside the Durango Sexual Assault Services Organization (SASO)'s Sing Our Rivers Red exhibit, and three guest speakers from the community. The Stories We Wear, created by curatorial fellow Elise Boulanger in partnership with FLC student group Rising Matriarchs and the Native American Center, was created to honor and remember Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives. It consists of three pieces of clothing - a ribbon skirt, an atikluk, and a blanket decorated by over 30 students and alumni. The installation will be moving around campus until September 2023 so keep an eye on this page and Center’s social media for its latest location.