Author: Althea Gouker

In the 19^th and early 20^th centuries, illustrated maps and advertisements functioned as powerful enticements to attract new inhabitants to the West. Drawn West: A History of Promoting Place explores a century of salesmanship, when artists and cartographers alike crafted an image of the West that depicted both fact and fiction. The visually engaging exhibition features 50-plus maps, artworks and advertisements from the Museum’s extensive collections.

In September 2020, the Holiday Farm Fire, driven by fierce east winds, burned 173,000 acres along the forested McKenzie River canyon in the Cascades of Oregon. Two months later, acclaimed photographer David Paul Bayles and disturbance ecologist Frederick J. Swanson began a photography project to document the stark beauty of the burned forest and its vibrant response to fire.  

A special collection of 35 photographs from the project is on view at the Museum in Hollow and Still: Photographs Following Fire by David Paul Bayles. The exhibition brings together a series of images capturing the visual beauty and rooted strength of a forest that has withstood over two centuries. The photographs were taken in the early days of the fire’s aftermath, showcasing the emotional impact as well as the ecological ramifications. 

 

Soil is made from minerals, air, water and decaying bits of organisms. But soil is not just a bed of crunched up rocks and other materials. Soil is alive. Soil Alive! beckons visitors underground to explore the subterranean world beneath us in a family-friendly, interactive exhibition. Presented in English and Spanish.

 

Joe Feddersen: Earth, Water, Sky is a career retrospective of the nationally renowned Indigenous artist. From wall-sized installations to miniatures and baskets, the exhibition features close to 100 pieces from Feddersen’s prolific 40-year career. The exhibition is organized by the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture in Spokane, Washington, and curated by heather ahtone, director of curatorial affairs, First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City, and Rachel Allen, curator of modern and contemporary art at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.

 

 

Located on the path leading toward the E. L. Wiegand Ponderosa Playscape, Finding the Light stands out among its natural surroundings, much like it did on the desert playa of Nevada. Created by local artist Kevin Necessary, the monolithic sculpture stood at Burning Man in 2024. Visitors walking the trail are encouraged to interact with the colorful shadows as the sun crosses the sky. The art installation is on view at the Museum temporarily.