A new exhibit, “Regal Adornment,” opened at the Dittmar Memorial Gallery Thursday, displaying large fringe pieces inspired by and meant to honor the vibrant culture of Native American Powwows. The exhibit features 11 fringe pieces and is on display until Feb. 3.
Chelsea Bighorn, a graduate of School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the artist behind all 11 pieces featured, said she drew inspiration from her childhood in the creation of the exhibit.
“I wanted to focus on the fringe, the adornment, of the outfits seen at Powwows that I grew up going to with my family,” Bighorn said.
Bighorn used a handful of unique, natural materials in the creation of the art, including beads, artificial elk teeth, buffalo teeth and buffalo yarn handspun by Bighorn herself.
However, despite the different shape and texture of each piece in the exhibit, there are similarities that tie some of the pieces together, Bighorn said, such as the fringed fabric and deeply saturated dyes that were also made by Bighorn.
“I’m just really drawn to fringe as a whole,” Bighorn said. “It’s always an adornment. It’s always the extra thing on clothing, jackets, bags, weavings. I just wanted to play with the idea of fringe.”
The idea for the exhibit was sparked after the gallery supervisor and curator, Communication junior Maggie Munday Odom, saw Bighorn’s work in the window at the Center for Native Futures. Struck by Bighorn’s pieces, Odom contacted her and the two began discussion about featuring Bighorn’s work at Dittmar this winter.
Assistant Director of Arts and Programs at Norris University Center Kimberly Mills said she was grateful Odom found Bighorn and quickly fell in love with Bighorn’s work.
“The care that Chelsea puts into her craftsmanship is really striking to me,” Mills said. “Not only is it rich within the culture of Powwows and regalia, but seeing it in person and taking your time in exploring Chelsea’s hand within the work is really, really striking.”
Weinberg sophomore Elyse Malamud, who is also a supervisor and registrar of the gallery, said she found that the bold colors and the unique materials in the fringe fabrics helped make the exhibit stand out.
While she appreciated the physical work, Malamud said she was especially struck by the backstory behind Bighorn’s pieces.
“The message in Chelsea’s work is amazing,” Malamud said.“We’re really excited to highlight Native American voices and stories in the gallery.”
Like Malamud, Bighorn also said she values uplifting and giving a platform to Native American art.
This is the first time Bighorn’s fringe pieces have been displayed, and she said she is thrilled to contribute to Native art in the Chicago area.
“In Chicago, I know there’s so many amazing contemporary Native art shows that are happening,” Bighorn said. “It’s really allowing Native artists to showcase all their talents and skills. I’m super happy to be a part of it.”
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