Exhibits | Center of Southwest Studies

Coloradans and our Shared Environment in Times of Challenge and Change highlights the deep connections Coloradans have with the state's natural landscape and, through it, with each other. The artwork included in the exhibition was produced by teams of artists and scientists grappling with the various ways Coloradans are experiencing the interrelated challenges of fire, drought, water, and air quality in their communities.

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 run through September 2024 and include a suite of programming throughout the year.

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.