The Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University has launched two major exhibitions that challenge traditional perceptions of nature and craft. 'Animal, Vegetable, nor Mineral' features the multimedia work of Miljohn Ruperto, utilizing virtual reality, sculpture, and animation to critique how humans categorize and expand into both physical and digital landscapes. Simultaneously, 'Jeremy Frey: Woven' presents over 30 intricate baskets by the MacArthur Fellow and Passamaquoddy artist, marking the final and only West Coast stop for this career-spanning survey.
These exhibitions highlight the museum's commitment to blending cutting-edge technology with ancient Indigenous knowledge. By showcasing Ruperto’s collaborative VR environments alongside Frey’s evolution of Wabanaki basket-weaving, the Cantor explores the 'entanglement' of human history and the natural world. The programming reflects a broader institutional trend of elevating traditional craft to the status of fine art while questioning the colonial frameworks of scientific taxonomy and territorial expansion.