“Indigenous Approaches, Sustainable Futures” Programs Draw Over 1,000 Visitors
Students, faculty, staff and community members had the opportunity to see artwork that students created during different workshops associated with "Indigenous Approaches, Sustainable Futures" during the exhibition's closing ceremony and reception on Nov. 12.
Galloway, N.J. – An exhibition unlike any other in the Stockton University Art Gallery will officially close its doors on Sunday, Nov. 17.
In celebration of the conversations on Indigenous identity that it sparked and the programming that welcomed over 1,000 community members both inside and outside of Stockton to campus, the team behind “Indigenous Approaches, Sustainable Futures” hosted a closing reception on Tuesday, Nov. 12.
The evening began with students presenting the artwork they created in the exhibition’s associated workshops. Pieces included painted gourds from artist Tyrese “Bright Flower” Gould Jacinto’s course, bandanas that were colored with natural dyes and screen-prints of turtles and trees.
Shortly before his performance of a traditional honor song, Ty “Dancing Wolf” Ellis of the Lenapehoking Revitalization Project (LRP) expressed gratitude for being a part of “Indigenous Approaches, Sustainable Futures’” programming on behalf of the project’s youth program, which visited the campus to perform traditional dances for Indigenous Peoples Day on Oct. 15 and participated in some of the associated art workshops.
The photos the youth program took during one of the workshops are currently on display in the gallery, and, according to Ellis, “They lit up seeing their artwork on the wall, and they now have this new fire and passion for art.”
Gould Jacinto of Nanticoke/Lenni-Lenape Tribal Nation used her remarks to discuss the theme of the exhibition and how it illuminated the significance of sustainability as a “way of life rooted in harmony and a deep understanding of natural cycles.”
“This approach fosters physical and spiritual creativity as individuals are free to express their authentic selves,” Gould Jacinto said. “This creativity is a form of sustenance for the soul and a testament to resilience, reflecting traditions that honor both ancestral knowledge and the land itself.
“This exhibition celebrates this relationship and advocates for a future where creativity, cultural wisdom and ecological integrity intersect,” Gould Jacinto continued. “Through this lens, art becomes a powerful tool for healing and transformation, allowing the past to guide the present and future generations toward a sustainable world.”
Following Gould Jacinto’s recitation of her poem, “Revelation Creation,” attendees had the opportunity to meet and talk with the featured artists about their work and tour the two-floor gallery with the curatorial team.
🪶 Gould Jacinto's poem was inspired by our current climate crisis and its impact on the world.
One of the artists on display, Visual Arts alumna Brittany Johnson ’17, answered questions about her photo portrait, “Identity.” The portrait features an Indigenous model who is dressed both traditionally with an Eagle feather in his braid and Westernized in a suit and tie.
The photos are part of a larger series entitled “Natives Taking Up Space,” which seeks to challenge the general public’s understanding of indigenous identity and expression.
“I struggle with a lot of people saying that we ‘don’t exist anymore’ or that we’ve all been ‘wiped out.’ We’re still here – just because we dress the way we do and don’t look like how we’ve been stereotyped to look doesn’t mean we aren’t still here. We still matter,” Johnson of the Nanticoke/Lenni Lenape Tribe said. “Our culture and our traditions are still within us. Just because we look modernized or Westernized doesn’t mean that we aren’t carrying all of the trauma and tradition of our ancestors.”
Johnson hopes that those who view her work in the gallery leave inspired.
“If you’re thinking about reconnecting with your culture, go ahead and do it. Don’t let anyone stop you. Just proceed,” Johnson said. “If you don’t know where you came from, learn and find out. It is never too late to do that.”
When concluding the evening, Exhibition Coordinator Ryann Casey ’01 thanked her team and emphasized how much of a team effort “Indigenous Approaches, Sustainable Futures” was.
According to Casey, the exhibition and its associated programming and workshops were three years in the making and cross-departmental, making it the largest exhibition that she has ever curated. It is her hope that “Indigenous Approaches, Sustainable Futures” will serve as a catalyst for even more across-campus and interdisciplinary collaboration.
– Story by Loukaia Taylor
– Photos by Susan Allen
Stockton Commemorates Indigenous Peoples’ Day
October 15, 2024
Galloway, N.J. – Stockton University marked its fourth year celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day, a counter-holiday that centers on the history, culture and continued experiences of the Indigenous people who stewarded this land before it became recognized as the United States of America.
The Monday, Oct. 14 event was the culmination of two years of work by Ryann Casey ‘01, the exhibition coordinator for the Stockton Art Gallery, and her team, which gathered and organized the works of 25 local and international Indigenous artists for the “Indigenous Approaches, Sustainable Futures” exhibition and its related celebrations and programming hosted by the School of Arts & Humanities.
A closing reception for "Indigenous Approaches, Sustainable Futures" is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 12, in the Upper Floor of the Art Gallery from 6-8 p.m.
“This exhibition highlights what I, as an alumna, consider to be core attributes of Stockton University, which are honoring land, identity and sustainability,” Casey said. “At the end of the day, I hope that this exhibit provides us with a foundation to learning more about the Indigenous experience.”
The daylong celebration began with a recognition of place and poem by Tyrese “Bright Flower” Gould Jacinto of the Nanticoke/Lenni-Lenape Tribal Nation and welcome remarks by Stockton President Joe Bertolino.
Art Gallery Exhibition Focuses on Innovative Indigenous Works
September 20, 2024
Galloway, N.J. – “Indigenous people are more than just what you read about in your false and colonial history books or a concept of the past. In 2024, we are contemporary.”
This and more gems of wisdom were dropped by Indigenous artist Denise “Bright Dove” Ashton-Dunkley during Sept. 17’s Artist Talk & Workshop in the Stockton University Art Gallery.
Ashton-Dunkley of the Nanticoke/Lenni-Lenape Tribal Nation is one of more than 25 local and international artists featured in the new two-floor exhibition, “Indigenous Approaches, Sustainable Futures.” She and fellow tribe member Tyrese “Bright Flower” Gould Jacinto and Jeremy Dennis of the Shinnecock Indian Nation led participants on a tour of the exhibition and talked about the inspiration behind their featured works.
According to Ashton-Dunkley, her piece, “Land Back,” is meant to challenge the viewer to acknowledge and consider the concepts of land reclamation and the significance of Indigenous traditional and ecological knowledge, especially as the world reckons with the current climate crisis.
“We hold this knowledge, and we’ve always been willing to share it. There’s no need to try to continue erasing us via MMIW (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women), genocide or forced sterilization,” Ashton-Dunkley said. “It all comes down to you voting, finding out what these politicians stand for and holding them accountable to their promises. Help us with your voice and steward these lands.”
