Artist Eric-Paul Riege presents 'ojo|-|ólǫ́,' a new exhibition at Brown University's David Winton Bell Gallery that combines fiber sculpture and performance art to explore Diné (Navajo) mythology and culture. The show, curated by Nina Bozicnik and Thea Quiray Tagle, runs through December 7 and features pieces borrowed from Brown's Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology, which Riege felt were 'buried alive' and needed to be activated. Riege encourages visitors to touch the works and incorporates dance performances, including a recent opening where he carried a humanlike figure named Hólǫ́ through the gallery.
The exhibition matters because it recontextualizes Diné objects that have historically circulated through colonial institutions, giving them new life through contemporary art practice. By collaborating with university archives and inviting physical interaction, Riege challenges traditional museum protocols and centers Indigenous perspectives on care, lineage, and knowledge transmission. The show will travel to the Burke Museum in spring, with pieces designed to be disassembled and reassembled, reflecting Riege's view that objects are 'limitless' and never finished.