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 run through September 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.