Installation view: “Homeland: The Osage in Missouri” at The Museum of Kansas City (photo by E.G. Schempf)
The Museum of Kansas City celebrates the country’s 250th annivesary with two extraordinary exhibitions of Native American art
The recently rebranded Museum of Kansas City, once the stately manor of lumber kingpin R.A. Long, is ablaze with Indigenous expression. The two concurrent exhibitions, “Homeland: The Osage in Missouri” and “Voices Now: Contemporary Native American Art,” offer visitors perspectives that are culturally illuminating and artistically cutting-edge.
Curated by Jimmy Lee Beason II, an Osage citizen and professor of Indigenous and American Indian Studies at Haskell Indian Nations University, “Homeland” explores the identity and customs of the Osage people, as well as their historical relationship with the natural environment of southern Missouri. The densely stocked gallery introduces visitors to the traditional religious, domestic and agricultural practices of the Osage and addresses how Indigenous people adapted to the intrusion of European settlers. Archaeological items from the 18th century, such as firearm components, tools and cutlery, provide an interesting supplement to these stories, although the exhibition really comes to life during the latter portion of the Osage chronology.
The final phase of “Homeland” showcases Osage traditions in a more modern context, with most of the objects on display dating to the late 20th century and into the 21st century. This collection exudes a feeling of intimacy, as it includes religious items like the peyote fan and traditional garments and dance regalia for children. The pieces are colorful and masterfully detailed, and the care evident in their creation helps indicate their importance, reminding viewers that Native American culture isn’t just something that happened a long time ago.
Beyond sharing a visual history of the Osage people, The Museum of Kansas City also notes that “Homeland” and “Voices Now” are presented together to recognize the 250th anniversary of the United States through the extraordinary history, culture and art of America’s Indigenous people and particularly those with ancestral connection to the Kansas City area. Through the lens of that imperative, “Homeland” succeeds admirably.
On the third floor of the museum, “Voices Now: Contemporary Native American Art” boasts an assemblage of current works from nationally and internationally renowned Native American artists. The exhibition is co-curated by Dr. Jami Powell, associate director for curatorial affairs and curator of Indigenous art at the Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, and Bruce Hartman, founding executive director and chief curator (retired) of the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art. Many art enthusiasts of the Kansas City region are no doubt familiar with Hartman’s expertise and passion for contemporary Native American art, so his involvement in this project is indeed an indication of the high-quality experience awaiting visitors.
The gallery space itself is minimalist, without feeling spartan. But the muted simplicity of the environment gives each artwork some room to shout a bit. One of the most distinctive voices is Buffalooooooo! (2026) by Tom Farris, made of a decommissioned slot machine. A brilliant enmeshing of the cruel ways in which greed, consumption and racism have shaped the relationship between white settlers and Indigenous Americans, the mixed-media piece still reflects Farris’ sense of humor, despite the somber subject matter. The artist has modified the decals, images, text and lighting of the slot machine, replacing monetary awards with prizes like “tribal sovereignty” or “water rights”; the jackpot even offers “decolonization.”
Oklahoma-based artist Holly Wilson’s sculpture Bloodline: Building Community (2022) consists of small bronze figurines walking along a cedar log. When the piece is illuminated, the miniature people reveal their elongated shadows against a wall. The artist describes the shadows as a metaphor for memories, which are intangible and fleeting. Even in the face of this impermanence, Wilson’s entry may also represent the tenacity with which people push themselves through hardship.
Other Native American artists featured in “Voices Now” are Norman Akers, Julie Buffalohead, Bruce Caesar, June Carpenter, Lydia Cheshewalla, Anita Fields, Yatika Starr Fields, Chris Pappan, Wendy Ponca, Ryan RedCorn, Addie Roanhorse, Richard Zane Smith and Jason Wesaw.
As the United States continues to reckon with its legacy of colonization and genocide, “Homeland” and “Voices Now” provide visitors with an encounter that is both educational and thought-provoking while still highlighting some truly engaging artistic dialogue.
“Homeland: The Osage in Missouri” and “Voices Now: Contemporary Native American Art” continue at The Museum of Kansas City, 3218 Gladstone Blvd., through Feb. 21, 2027. Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. For more information, 816.702.7700 or museumofkansascity.org.
