Keith Braveheart (left) works on a canvass painting in the Native American Cultural Center on the USD campus.
VERMILLION, S.D. – Keith Braveheart, a University of South Dakota visual art graduate student is one of 28 Lakota artists selected from across the United States and Canada to participate in an exhibit at the Journey Museum & Learning Center in Rapid City this March.
The exhibit, hosted by the Center for American Indian Research and Native Studies (CAIRNS) will feature works that explore the 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre.
"This exhibition is important, as it will speak about a significance not often discussed and presents history from multiple perspectives," said Braveheart, winner of this year's Stilwell competition Best in Show Award. "I'm from Kyle, South Dakota, and I have a grandmother who was a survivor of the massacre. Her name was Elk Woman. Growing up on the Pine Ridge reservation, I often drive by the massacre site and still feel the energy today. As an artist, I feel a responsibility to create an artwork for this exhibition and will be painting a large work while at USD."
The event titled, "Takuwe," will feature an impressive roster of prestigious and emerging Lakota artists representing five of the seven Lakota nations recognized by the U.S. and Canadian governments. Learn more about the exhibit.