Ten Indigenous Artists Participate in the 47 Canal Gallery's New Space

Curator and artist G. Peter Jemison (Seneca Onóndowahgah) welcomed everyone in his own Seneca language and proceeded to introduce each of the Indigenous artists by name and clan included in the exhibition Summer with Friends and Family, the first at 47 Canal's new space in Soho.

Many of the artists have never shown in New York before, and one had travelled across the U.S. from the state of Washington to be present.

Jemison was invited to curate the inaugural show at the new 47 Canal, which kept is name after 13 years in its previous Chinatown location.

The gallery was established on 47 Canal Street by artist Margaret Lee, who has since departed the gallery, and dealer Oliver Newton in 2011. It became known as a champion of emerging and Asian-American artists, and last worked with Jemison in 2023 for a solo show, recognizing his unique ability to bring gravity and community to all projects.

The ten artists shown together bridge two generations of practitioners. Two (Jaune Quick-to-See-Smith and Joe Fedderson) were a part of the 1983 exhibition Jemison curated while founding director at the American Indian Community House on West Broadway, with younger artists subsequently discovered through juried open calls led by Jemison. Each address and process the realities of being native in America.

One wall was filled with Jaune Quick To See Smith's. Qucik To See Smith's major solo show at the Whitney last year positioned her as a household name for many. Her pastel on paper works, installed in a row like parts of a story where coyotes and people encounter each other in folkloric reference on land and in boats.

Hayden Haynes' pieces, each only a few inches high, used moose antler, stove polish, leather dyes, and cell phone parts to create palm-sized totemic figures. One combined single-letter wood beads to read 'representative' and in a smaller, embedded layer 'pretendian'. A large oil on canvas piece by Jay Carrier held the room; titled Gathering of the Nations pow wow fancy dancer (1994), it seemed to describe bodies and animal forms in motion with a mass of abstracted, layered color. Natasha Smoke Santiago's sculpture of a man in a state of euphoria.

The new U-shaped premises, which has six distinct spaces, looks out at the corner of Wooster and Broome Streets in downtown Manhattan. The opening held on the eve of July 4th, drew a large crowd of easily over 150.

At the core of the event was a supper prepared by rising star chef Patty Lee, affiliated with the restaurant Mission Chinese Food, and in collaboration with the White Corn Project which aims to bring the staple back into the Iroquois diet through farming, education, and distribution. Her delicious meal consisted of a savory corn mush, three sisters' salad, tamales, tortas and a sweet corn bread. All made using the ingredient donated by the Friends of Ganondagan and using recipes adapted from Jemison's wife, Jeanette.

Jemison has been steadily stewarding generations of indigenous artists for decades.

Instead of creating a market – he opted to organize visual art shows for young – and older artists ensuring they could logistically meet this invitation. This show is evidence of the Jemison's integrity and necessity of his reach.

Summer with Friends and Family includes Jay Carrier (Onondaga/Tuscarora Nations, Wolf Clan)

Joe Feddersen (member of Colville Confederated Tribes)

Hayden Haynes (Seneca, Deer Clan)

G. Peter Jemison (Seneca, Heron Clan)

Lauren Jimerson (Seneca, Heron Clan)

Luanne Redeye (Seneca, Hawk Clan)

Natasha Smoke Santiago (Akwesasne Mohawk, Turtle Clan)

Marjorie Skidders (Akwesasne Mohawk, Bear Clan)

Duane Slick (Meskwaki and Ho-Chunk descent)

Jaune Quick-to-See Smith (member of Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes)

The exhibition continues through to August 9, 2024. 47 Canal is located at 59 Wooster Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10012.