Otsego Institute
Doing Native American Art History Now
May 15-20, 2022
Call for applications
Program:
The 2022 Otsego Institute Workshop will provide participants with a forum for searching discussion of key issues that trouble the practice of Native American art history in today’s era of active decolonization: reconciliation, repatriation, and restitution; cultural sensitivity; access and appropriation; voice and interpretation; models of collaboration; and the negotiation of diverse epistemologies. Of equal value will be opportunities for the development of hands-on approaches, techniques, and skills needed to understand and appropriately represent the Indigenous knowledge and ancestral presences embodied in historic Native American arts.
In an atmosphere of careful listening and mutual respect, participants engage in group discussions of key readings, hear presentations by eminent guests and faculty members, and work directly with selected works of art from the outstanding Thaw Collection of Native American art. Guided by the Institute’s faculty, they hone their abilities to identify the materials and techniques used to create works related to their individual research interests, and to situate works historically in contexts of production, exchange, and reception. Each participant makes two short presentations: early in the workshop, on their own current and prospective dissertations, research, or curatorial projects; and at the end, on their specific item chosen from the Thaw Collection for direct study. In the few months following the workshop, participants develop a short research essay on the chosen object for posting to the online Otsego Alumni Review.
Organized by the Otsego Institute for Native American Art History, and sponsored by Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown, New York
May 15-20, 2022
Call for applications
Program:
The 2022 Otsego Institute Workshop will provide participants with a forum for searching discussion of key issues that trouble the practice of Native American art history in today’s era of active decolonization: reconciliation, repatriation, and restitution; cultural sensitivity; access and appropriation; voice and interpretation; models of collaboration; and the negotiation of diverse epistemologies. Of equal value will be opportunities for the development of hands-on approaches, techniques, and skills needed to understand and appropriately represent the Indigenous knowledge and ancestral presences embodied in historic Native American arts.
In an atmosphere of careful listening and mutual respect, participants engage in group discussions of key readings, hear presentations by eminent guests and faculty members, and work directly with selected works of art from the outstanding Thaw Collection of Native American art. Guided by the Institute’s faculty, they hone their abilities to identify the materials and techniques used to create works related to their individual research interests, and to situate works historically in contexts of production, exchange, and reception. Each participant makes two short presentations: early in the workshop, on their own current and prospective dissertations, research, or curatorial projects; and at the end, on their specific item chosen from the Thaw Collection for direct study. In the few months following the workshop, participants develop a short research essay on the chosen object for posting to the online Otsego Alumni Review.
Organized by the Otsego Institute for Native American Art History, and sponsored by Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown, New York
About our logo: The Thunderbird motif is adapted from an Anishnaabe quilled bag, ca. 1790, in the Thaw Collection at the Fenimore Art Museum (#T0008).
Find us on Facebook: Otsego Institute for Native American Art History
https://www.facebook.com/groups/116814485027308/
For announcements by email regarding the Otsego Institute and Native American art, join the Google Group by sending an email to with “subscribe” in the subject line. If you are already a member of the group, you can post messages here. Just log in where you can read previous announcements or post your own by clicking on “New Topic.”
https://www.facebook.com/groups/116814485027308/
For announcements by email regarding the Otsego Institute and Native American art, join the Google Group by sending an email to with “subscribe” in the subject line. If you are already a member of the group, you can post messages here. Just log in where you can read previous announcements or post your own by clicking on “New Topic.”