Changing Hands: Art Without Reservation 3/Contemporary Native North American Art from the Northeast and Southeast concludes a cycle of exhibitions organized over the past decade by the Museum of Arts and Design. Curated by Ellen Taubman and David McFadden, these exhibitions have presented a diverse panoply of new work by Native American, First Nations, Métís and Inuit artists from the continental United States, the Pacific rim, and Canada. Representing both established and emerging artists, the series has laid bare the new vitality and spirit of experimentation that has come to the forefront among the art practices of Native artists working today. All three Changing Hands exhibitions have focused on art that points toward the future, presenting works by contemporary artists who embrace and take inspiration from cultural traditions while also expressing contemporary creativity and innovation. They have sought to transcend ethnographic and anthropological interpretations, challenge preconceived notions and stereotypes of Indigenous art and artists, and ultimately to effect a reevaluation of present-day Native art in an international arena.
