Their Land
By Madeleine Ward-Schultz, with Julia Harth
A vast black map of the United States hangs on the back wall of the last room in Wendy Red Star: A Scratch on the Earth at the Columbus Museum of Art (CMA). In the nearly floor-to-ceiling installation, white plastic flags punctuate the plane, gently swaying under an air vent with their shadows trailing behind. In a landscape otherwise unobstructed by geographic markers or place names, thick outlines between black, vinyl shapes carve the borders of states. The artwork’s title, Their Land, hints at the ideas artist Wendy Red Star addresses, including colonial understandings of land as territory and property. Those who are familiar with tribal lands might notice that the white flags signify many federally and state-recognized tribes and nations. It may not be as easily discernible to visitors who are newer to the topics in Red Star’s work. While the map does not act as a scientific, geographical study, the artistic representation opens doors to thought-provoking questions that linger after visitors leave the space.
The first time I saw the map was with two other co-workers a few days before the exhibition opening. Standing in front of the wall, all of us spent time taking in the work. After a moment, we began responding to each other’s observations, drawing on our individual understandings of Indigenous lands. We wondered aloud: Look at the density of the flags on the West Coast! Where’s Hawaii? One colleague explained the political complexities and multiple perspectives of Native Hawaiians on the topic of Indigenous recognition (which are sometimes in conflict with federal government policies). I remember thinking, Gosh I barely know anything about places I’ve called home. But listening to my more-informed colleagues talk about state lines vs. tribal lands and reservation designations, I was grateful to them for elaborating on a lesser-studied area (on my part) of history. The moment in front of the map was memorable as we created collective insights on the artistic interpretation. The spontaneous dialogue sparked by the map inspired me to find out more on my own about my and my family’s home states’ Indigenous histories and enduring cultures.
Once visitors attended the exhibition, they eagerly began to ask about Their Land, as the original label did not provide details and meanings of the work. They needed a starting point — a key detailing what the flags and map represent — especially within Red Star’s exhibition that focuses on historical research and Indigenous narratives. With all this in mind, a small team began looking into visitors’ queries.
The team’s goal was to create supplemental materials to the map that would assist visitors in their exhibition experience. Together, the group referenced online resources and reached out to knowledgeable museum professionals and Indigenous community members. We studied the artist’s list of federally and state-recognized tribes as well as the original and only previous installation of Their Land, displayed in the 2022 exhibition American Progress at the Anderson Collection at Stanford University.
We hoped to find answers to one big question visitors had about the two flags in Ohio. Because of a long history of genocidal federal policies — including the Removal Act in 1830 — that seized Indigenous lands and forcibly removed tribes to reservations in other states, no federally recognized tribes remain in Ohio. The list from the artist’s research identified the Ohio flags as the Munsee Delaware Indian Nation and the United Remnant Band of the Shawnee Nation, though Ohio (without a regional office dedicated to Indigenous affairs) hadn’t officially recognized any tribes. Through our conversations with Indigenous community members, the team began to understand how complex the cultural politics around legal recognition are.
Recognition status identifies tribal nations who receive varying levels of federal or state benefits from the government such as funding, medical services, and additional protections. It is also closely linked to Indigenous sovereignty and self-governance. Federal and state recognition classifications have different agreements, and tribal government as well as intertribal tensions can arise surrounding the designation. Some groups do not think authorization of their Indigenous status from the U.S. government is necessary; others consider it as a move away from self-determination and toward further assimilation into an ongoing colonial practice. Moreover, the politics and policies are always shifting. While these (and many more) distinctions are not explicitly traced on the map, Red Star’s visual exposition alludes to the historical displacement and attempted erasure of Indigenous communities and, through it, raises complex issues of self-determination, recognition, and Indigenous sovereignty.
For me, it felt exciting and meaningful to work on this material and collaborate in a team of cross-departmental Museum staff during this exhibition’s duration. We all wanted to become better acquainted with the map on view in our gallery; share what we learned with our Museum community; and help inspire continued engagement with the concepts present in Red Star’s practice. As a group, we generated: extended labels providing more information on the map; a Join the Conversation board inviting visitors to reflect and share their thoughts; a Collective Voices audio guide narrated by Indigenous Community Partner Shelly Corbin; and this blog reflecting on our process.
The practical learning tools we settled on also instinctively aligned with the commitment the institution made in our Museum in Progress plan. Through the plan, the Museum aims to discuss past and present harms done by museums broadly and ours specifically, as well as respond actively and intentionally, “practic[ing] humility, experimental processes, public engagement, and transparent self-reflection.” Thinking about Indigeneity, specifically, we propose to review and revise our Museum’s policies “to be more respectful and inclusive of Indigenous peoples and cultures.” During our study of Their Land, we tested different ways to cultivate interest and engagement by both applying trusted-and-true formats and creating newer ones, too.
Through further communication with the artist, we gained insight into Red Star’s own learning process and goal to create a visual representation of her research. Although the data informing the artwork reflects a particular moment in time, Red Star’s artistic map — as she expressed — can be understood as a learning tool that highlights connections she made and encourages viewers to join in the experience. The intention is that observations (like: There are so many flags on the West Coast!) will lead to questions (Why are there so many tribes on the West Coast?). To Red Star and the many Museum visitors who have spent time with it, the map is a powerful visual statement that hints at the complexities of past and present tribal land relations.
As the exhibition draws to a close, I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn about the intricacies of tribal recognition through Red Star’s art. It also felt incredibly special to have naturally experienced the learning trajectory the artist intended: from questions to connections. What began as an individual and internal inquiry turned into a communal effort that kindled conversations and collaborations with a diverse group of people all connected by Wendy Red Star’s Their Land.
Madeleine Ward-Schultz is a Curatorial/Registrarial Assistant and Julia Harth is a Graduate Associate from The Ohio State University at CMA.
Wendy Red Star: A Scratch on the Earth is organized by The Newark Museum of Art and is on view until Sep 3, 2023. Plan your visit today at columbusmuseum.org
