Public art enriches our lives by exposing us to different points of view. Some Native American communities have used outdoor banners and drawings to denounce genocide and to call attention to other forms of injustice. Edgar Heap of Birds, professor of Native American studies at the University of Oklahoma, lectures on how indigenous voices express themselves through public art on Jan. 23 at noon in the Hampton Room, Malott Commons, 345 E. 9th St. This free event is open to the public.
An acclaimed conceptual artist, Heap of Birds examines how Native American communities tell stories through the use of public art installations in his talk “Heads Above Grass: Indigenous Voices of Survival Through Public Art and Studio Expressions.” Heap of Birds has received grants and awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, Rockefeller Foundation, The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, among others.
He has exhibited his artwork in prestigious museums throughout the world, including the Whitney Museum of American Art, the National Gallery of Canada and the Grand Palais in Paris, France. Heap of Birds received his master’s degree from Temple University and earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Kansas.
This talk is part of the Humanities Institute’s spring lecture series “Music, Dance, Ritual, and Belief: Transforming Societies.” Distinguished artists will examine the interplay of music and dance in ritual customs and beliefs. For more information, please call (909) 621-8237 or visit scripps-staging.skybox0.com/hi.