Highlights from the Collections

 

Contemporary Indigenous Art Collection

These artworks are a sampling of some of the pieces found in the NYSM Collection of Contemporary Indigenous Art. The collection includes over 150 artworks by established and emerging Indigenous artists.  

Leather bag adorned with red and white quills, beads, and deer hair

Jamie Jacobs (Tonawanda Seneca) 
Untitled, quilled leather pouch, 2017
Smoke tanned leather, dyed and natural quills, glass seed beads, dyed white tailed deer hair, metal tinkler cones
NYSM Collection E-2018.29.1

Courtney Leonard (Shinnecock) - Matcik Way, 2005

Courtney Leonard (Shinnecock)
Matcik Way, 2005
Coiled, glazed ceramic
NYSM Collection E-2009.02 

Peter Jones (Onondaga) - Winter’s Stories, 1996

Peter Jones (Onondaga)
Winter’s Stories, 1996  
Wolf Clan Singer, 1999–2000
Stoneware
NYSM Collection E-A96.1.23 and E-2000.10.01  

Cornhusk moccasins with purple fringe

Angela Doxtater, Six Nations Mohawk
Cornhusk moccasins
NYSM Collection E-2022.01A-B

Shelley Niro (Mohawk, Six Nations) Surrender Nothing Always, 2004

Shelley Niro (Mohawk, Six Nations)
Surrender Nothing Always, 2004
Photograph on canvas
NYSM Collection E-2017.62

“She/Her” by Niio Perkins and Isabella Thompson, Akwesasne Mohawk

Niio Perkins and Isabella Thompson, Akwesasne Mohawk
“She/Her”
NYSM Collection E-2019.05.1-4

multi-colored beaded graduation mortarboard

Tohanash Tarrant, Shinnecock/Hopi/Ho-Chunk
Beaded graduation mortar board
NYSM Collection E-2019.22.01 A

Beaded medallion by Tohanash Tarrant, Shinnecock/Hopi/Ho-Chunk

Tohanash Tarrant, Shinnecock/Hopi/Ho-Chunk
Beaded medallion
NYSM Collection E-2019.22.02

Two cornhusk dolls dressed in purple attire with white beaded trim

Angela Doxtater, Six Nations Mohawk
The Most Beautiful Woman in the Village
Cornhusk dolls, beadwork
NYSM Collection E-2022.02

Gold, turquoise, and mixed metals necklace

Leah Shenandoah (Oneida, NY/Haudenosaunee) 
“Bourgeoisie Turquoise Iroquois”, 2019
Resin, gold leaf, mixed metals and stones, metal chain
NYSM Collection E-2019.12.1

white bowl with a shell-bead border

Brenda Hill (Tuscarora, Choctaw) 
Wampum pot from Honor Our Strings series, 2018
Porcelain, Quahog shell beads
NYSM Collection E-2018.11

yellow, red, brown abstract paper design with a white symbol at center

Misti Moede (Stockbridge Munsee Mohican) 
Untitled, Many Trails symbol in paper, 2023
Paper
NYSM E-2024.09.3
 

Black velvet pillow with two beaded white flowers and two beaded green hummingbirds

Samuel Thomas (Lower Band of Cayuga, Six Nations) 
Untitled, beaded cushion with Calla Lillies, 2006
Velvet, glass beads
NYSM E-2020.04.1
 

Decorative carved comb with a loon in a wooden base

Stanley Hill Sr. (Mohawk, Akwesasne) 
Untitled, Loon Comb, 1991
Moose antler, walnut wood base
NYSM Collection E-2019.10
 

two figures on the left confront an figure on the right

Bruce Boots (Akwesasne Mohawk)
The Creation of the Iroquois Confederacy, 2016
Acrylic on canvas
NYSM Collection E-2017.61
 

Native American Archaeology

These images show examples of indigenous archaeological objects curated at the New York State Museum. Numbering over 2 million specimens, these collections document this long indigenous presence in the New York region beginning nearly 13,000 years ago in the Ice Age.

Flaked stone projectile points (A2019,02.1), Columbia County, McVaugh Collection, circa 9000-1000 years before present.

Flaked stone projectile points (A2019,02.1), Columbia County
McVaugh Collection, circa 9000-1000 years before present.
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Stemmed projectile point and oyster shell

Stemmed projectile point and oyster shell (A2020.10)
George's Island site, Westchester County, circa 6600-5500 years before present. 

Ground stone gorgets, used for personal adornment, circa 3300-500 years before present.

Ground stone gorgets, used for personal adornment, circa 3300-500 years before present.
A: A2008.13B.99.7 (Bronx County)
B: A32591 (Onondaga County)
C: A28546 (Ontario County)
D: A31719 (Onondaga County)
E: A28396 (Ontario County)
F: A4255 (Chautauqua County)
 

Paleoindian flaked stone artifacts, Beardsley/Clymer Collection, OPS site, Madison County, circa 12,000 years before present.

Paleoindian flaked stone artifacts, Beardsley/Clymer Collection, OPS site, Madison County, circa 12,000 years before present.
A: Crowfield fluted point with tip damage (A2019.08B.169.1)
B: Endscraper (A2019.08B.166.1)
C: Hafted perforator (A2019.08B.197.1)
D: Flake graver (A2019.08B.171.1)
E: Side scraper (A2019.08B.163.1)

Paleoindian fluted point (A44042.4/13), West Athens Hill site, Greene County, circa 12,800 years before present.

Paleoindian fluted point (A44042.4/13), West Athens Hill site, Greene County, circa 12,800 years before present.

Artist's concept, hafting fluted point as stone tip for hunting weaponry, circa 12,800 years before present.

Artist's concept, hafting fluted point as stone tip for hunting weaponry, circa 12,800 years before present.

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