Exhibits | Center of Southwest Studies

January 15–December 18, 2026

Opening Reception: Thursday, January 15 from 4:30 to 6:30 PM

The Center of Southwest Studies (Center) at Fort Lewis College (FLC) is pleased to present Constellations of Place, a major exhibition rooted in the landscapes and layered histories of Southwest Colorado. Guest curated by scholar, writer, and independent curator, Dr. Meranda Roberts (Yerington Paiute, Chicana), Constellations of Place will feature a selection of over 60 textiles, pottery, beadwork, 2D works, and mixed media pieces from the Center’s permanent collections alongside the work of 13 invited contemporary Native American, Indigenous, and Latinx artists.

Location: Robert Delaney Southwest Research Library and Archives

Reception: Thursday, April 24 at 12:00 - 2:00 PM

The Center of Southwest Studies is excited to present two unique student-curated installations featuring work from the museum collections. These exhibitions, on display in the Robert Delaney Southwest Research Library and Archives, are final projects developed in conjunction with the Department of Art & Design's Gallery Management course. 

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.