Re-Envisioning Native American Art at the de Young

Staff | de Young / Legion of Honour Museums | 22nd August 2025

San Francisco’s de Young Museum is tackling a fraught issue – how to display its Indigenous art. Previously such decisions reflected top-down, non-Indigenous views of what was important. Now curatorial decisions involve collaboration and consultation. Greater recognition is being given to geographically different groups. And Indigenous curators are keen to intersperse contemporary works among older pieces. That speaks to their key message – “we are still here … a very living community”.