Indigenous weaver Jeremy Frey, a 2025 MacArthur Fellowship recipient, will participate in an upcoming public conversation with Hyperallergic Editor-at-Large Hrag Vartanian. The discussion will explore Frey’s unique practice of Passamaquoddy basketry, which involves harvesting natural materials like black ash and sweetgrass to create intricate vessels and innovative relief prints that bridge the gap between traditional craft and contemporary sculpture.
Frey’s work is significant for its role in elevating Wabanaki weaving techniques into the global contemporary art ecosystem. By evolving ancestral methods into a singular aesthetic recognized by major museums, he has challenged the historical categorization of Indigenous craft, ensuring its survival and relevance through both technical innovation and new market visibility.