Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and its Art Bridges Foundation have acquired 90 contemporary works by Indigenous artists from the John and Susan Horseman Collection. Art Bridges will receive 81 works for long-term loans across the U.S., while nine pieces will join Crystal Bridges' permanent collection. Artists include Kent Monkman, George Morrison, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, and Cannupa Hanska Luger. The acquisition is part of a broader strategy to expand the museum's holdings in Indigenous and craft art, with works set to debut in exhibitions starting November 2024.
This landmark acquisition significantly increases representation of Indigenous art in a major American museum, where Native artists previously made up only 3% of the collection. By making most works available through Art Bridges' loan program, the initiative ensures these pieces reach audiences nationwide, challenging historical underrepresentation. The acquisition also acknowledges the museum's location on the Trail of Tears, with curators emphasizing the need for Indigenous-led storytelling and community collaboration in museum spaces.