Native Reflections: Visual Art by American Indians of Kentucky

Among the many cultural groups living in Kentucky today, some Kentuckians are descendants of the first people to live on this land.

The experiences of these indigenous groups and individuals vary widely. Among those who survived generations of displacement and genocide conducted by European colonists in America, some maintained their cultural identity while others assimilated to avoid discrimination or concealed their ancestral identity in order to survive. Some belong to federally recognized or state recognized tribes, while others practice living traditions passed down through their families and communities.

The Kentucky Arts Council, the Kentucky Native American Heritage Commission and the Kentucky Heritage Council—agencies of the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet— worked together to invite American Indians living in Kentucky to share their visual art. A panel of American Indians and experts on Native American heritage selected works to include and the result is this amazing collection.

Native Reflections has been touring the state since early 2020, and Metro Hall and Louisville Visual Art are excited to host this important exhibit on its final stop in Louisville!