6 JUNE 1,2006
Smoke Signals
A TcraSirD Wnftlh A Onfffeireirotl: (Destioinisitiitoin)
wMu n ' n
J if;
The Artrain Cometh the Grand Rondes make it possible.
Artrain USA Tour
Manager Nathan
Zamarron
On Track These
cars, according to Artrain
Facility and Rail Manager
Chris Talluto, were
refurbished 35 years
ago when the Artrain
started rolling and will
last 50 years. The exhibit
was billed as "one of the
greatest exhibitions of
modern Native art."
VP
By Ron Karten
"This is just not what people ex
pect," said Artrain USA Tour Man
ager Nathan Zamarron. The project
contemporary Indian art shown
in four railroad cars attempts to
break down stereotypes and build
communities.
On Thursday, May 18 in Mil
waukie, the 35-year-old Artrain,
funded nationally by the National
Endowment for the Arts and lo
cally this year by the Confederated
Tribes of the Grand Ronde, came to
town with a four-day show entitled,
"Native Views, Influences of Modern
Culture; A contemporary Native
American Art Exhibition."
At the opening ceremony, Grand
Ronde Tribal Chairwoman Cheryle
Kennedy said, "We've always been
supportive of the arts. When we
share, we all have a better society."
This show is "one of the greatest ex
hibitions of modern Native art," said
the Portland Art Museum's Curator
of Indian Art Bill Mercer.
"Until the last 15 years," he added,
"we never saw the contemporary
work of Indians."
"Some (pieces) are not easy to take,"
he added. "Natives working in a non
Native society that's tough."
Guest Curator Joanna Osburn
Bigfeather (Western Cherokee and
Mescalero Apache) reported in the pub
lication accompanying the exhibit that
the show offers "mainstream America
an opportunity to understand how
much common ground is shared with
the First Peoples of North America...
The exhibition strives to expose the
many misconceptions and stereotypes
of Native peoples while encouraging
viewers to rethink the construction of
a broader American culture."
While showing a group through
the train and providing personal
stories of artists featured, Mercer
tackled the question, "What is art?"
He told the story of an 1990 meeting
with Native artist Marcus Amerman
(Choktaw) years after Amerman's
graduation from Madison High
School in Portland.
Amerman asked Mercer, who even
then was known as a connoisseur
of Native American art, what he
thought of a beaded wallet Amerman
had made. It had the face of Janet
Jackson on one side and Paula Abdul
on the other.
"I told him, 'Dude, that rocks!' said
Mercer, "because that was what in
terested him at the time. The artists
are chroniclers of the time," he added.
"Forget the anthropologists. It's the
artists, the writers, the singers who
give you the best glimpse that you
could ever get. And from the best
group of artists you could ever get,"
he said referring to the show, "this is
Indian Country."
The show consists of 70 artworks
by 53 Native artists representing 45
Tribes, "all alive and working today,"
Home For Art Grand RondeTribal Chairwoman Cheryle Kennedy
welcomed Artrain enthusiasts to the Grand Ronde homelands and described her
view of the value of art in building community.
..Mf"""",
, - : 'J
- I
said Zamarron. It takes the Artrain
four years to cover the whole country
and this show is now in its third year.
Later in the year, the whole train is
scheduled to go by ferry to Alaska,
said Zamarron.
The artwork itself is divided into
three subject areas, each taking a
single railcar: one for the influences of
popular culture, one for the influences
of technology and a third for the influ
ences of Native knowledge. The last
car contains artworks and t-shirts and
other things for sale, along with more
information about the exhibit.
In addition to financial support, the
Grand Rondes contributed in other
ways. The Coyote Creek Singers
drummed and sang, Tribal member
Ceecee Kneeland offered a bless
ing song, Tribal member Nakoosa
Moreland represented Grand Ronde
Royalty, and the Grand Ronde Honor
Guard presented the colors.
"We would not be here without our
real hosts," said Milwaukie Coun
cilwoman Carlotta Collette, "the
Confederated Tribes of the Grand
Ronde. This takes place in their
homeland."
In addition, the musical group Ce-:
dar Rose, with Nico Wind and Karen
Kitchen, were joined by Tribal mem
ber Miguel Adams, 5, son of Tribal
member Lisa Archuleta and nephew
of Tribal member Greg Archuleta,
for a few songs.
Among the many dignitaries
in attendance were State Senate
Majority Leader Kate Brown and
Clackamas Community College
President Joe Johnson.
Artrain fellowships are available
for people interested in traveling
with the show for five months.
Contact Zamarron at Nathan.
ZamarronArtrainUSA.org for
more information.
The whole show came together
in about two weeks, said Zamar
ron. Milwaukie officials working
with the Grand Rondes and other
local businesses and groups pulled
together all the details, including
location, $15,000-20,000 in local
contributions (representing only
about one-fifth of the full cost), an
advertising campaign and the de
tails of the event itself. Artrain and
local communities usually spend
almost a year putting such a visit
together. The Confederated Tribes
of Grand Ronde came through with
$10,000, the lion's share of the nec
essary local contribution, in just a
few days.