Exhibition
Plains Art Museum
Creative Artist Talk: Conversation with artist Gerald Cournoyer
Exhibition: "Sending a Voice"
After a 25-year exploration of all aspects of Lakota life ways through ceremony, dance, and prayer, Gerald Cournoyer presents his observations in his newest solo exhibition, Sending A Voice. Gerald Cournoyer rejects Edward Curtis’s observations that the Lakota are a people of the past. He states, “We are more than a photograph.”, emphasizing in his work that the ceremonies and events in Edwards photographs are contemporary events vital to the identity of the 21st-century Lakota. The long tradition of Lakota ceremonies such as hanblecha, Sun Dance, and Keeping A Soul are still a central part of Lakota ways of life despite the dark legacy of the boarding school era of the 20th century. Cournoyer states,
“Attending St. Paul's Indian Mission in Marty, SD we were not permitted to speak our language or participate in ceremonials. This abandonment of culture, language, history, spirituality, and traditional life ways was brought in after the end of the Indian Mission Boarding School Era ended. It seemed like overnight it was finally acceptable to be Native American.”
Join Plains Art Museum on March 8th as we proudly present “Sending A Voice”
Gerald Cournoyer (Oglala Sioux Tribe) holds a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Oklahoma and a Master’s in Non-Profit Arts Management and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Philanthropy and Fundraising from Central Michigan University. Born and raised in Marty, South Dakota, Cournoyer is the Tribal Arts Instructor at United Tribes Technical College. Cournoyer has blended his cultural and artistic backgrounds to connect with his students throughout his nearly 30-year career. Cournoyer is also the lead instructor for the Northern Plains Summer Art Institute from June 16th-30th.