Unknown Tubatulabal Artist Snake Basket, ca. 1905 Plant fiber, quail's topknot feathers, wool
Lucy Wilcox (Tulare Lake Yokuts) Bottleneck Basket, ca. 1920 Plant fiber, quail topknot feathers, woodpecker scalp feathers
INDIANAPOLIS-A new exhibition at the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis showcases the work of some of the most admired Native American basketmakers. Mel and Joan Perelman recently gifted to the museum their collection of 147 baskets, cradles and bags spanning much of North America, with a focus on the Southwest and far west regions. A selection is featured in a special exhibit, Interwoven: Native American Basketry from the Mel and Joan Perelman Collection, that will continue through August 5.
Native baskets in the Interwoven exhibit are primarily the works of women artists, including Louisa Keyser (Washoe), Lena Dick (Washoe), Elizabeth Juan (Tohono O'odham), Lucy Telles (Paiute), Magdelena Augustine (Chemehuevi) and others. The baskets reflect the knowledge of materials, techniques and designs passed down through multiple generations that contributed to the survival of many Native cultures despite dramatic and traumatic transitions of the late 19th through early 20th centuries.
The collection also encompasses Lower Klamath River basketry hats and other forms of woven items such as a Hoopa cradle and Nez Perce twined bag.
The Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art was named one of the USA Today Readers' Choice 10 Best Indiana Attractions.
