Art About Native Americans Compared

An exhibition being launched on a national tour compares popular images of American Indians with how they represent themselves.

The multimedia exhibition, “Powerful Images: Portrayals of Native America,” juxtaposes art about American Indians with art by them.

It’s designed to give museum visitors new insights, organizers say.

Despite the diversity of native North American cultures, “Native Americans have been alternately stereotyped, miscast and romanticized,” said Byron Price, director of the Buffalo Bill Historical Center.

Price is also president of Museums West, a consortium of 10 museums that organized the exhibition.

Items in the show range from paintings and sculpture to children’s toys and neon signs, and include video and audio components.

The show will be at the National Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center through April 5 and will then travel to seven other consortium members:

Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Cody, Wyo., May 16-Aug. 16.

Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, Indianapolis, Sept. 26-Jan. 3, 1999.

Autry Museum of Western Heritage, Los Angeles, Feb. 21-May 16, 1999.

Glenbow Museum, Calgary, Alberta, July 3-Sept. 26, 1999.

The Heard Museum, Phoenix, Nov. 13, 1999-April 25, 2000.

Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, Okla., June 4-Aug. 29, 2000.

National Museum of Wildlife Art, Jackson, Wyo., Oct. 8, 2000-Jan. 2, 2001.

The exhibition is sponsored by Ford Motor Co.