December 17, 2007
Plateau Close-up
Last week I joined the curatorial team for an object photo shoot behind-the-scenes in our Ethnology collections lab. We’re gearing up for the January opening of two shows that look at Plateau Arts & Culture: Peoples of the Plateau (historic photography) and This Place Called Home (cultural materials from the Burke’s Plateau collections).
This Place Called Home guest curator Miles R. Miller (Yakama) is a beadwork artist inspired by the traditional motifs of the Plateau region. He’s pictured here along with a selection of objects from the exhibit, including a stunning buckskin coat (capote) with beaded details, a cradle board, and two hats that showcase two approaches to a similar motif.
These will be the first exhibits to celebrate Eastern Washington Plateau culture at the Burke in over 20 years. Many of the objects will be on exhibit for the first time ever thanks to Miles’ hard work and collaboration with Burke staff. Exciting times.
- Rebecca
Photos by Mary Levin