2023 Indigenous Heritage Celebration: Language and Art

In collaboration with the Gathering of Families celebration, join the C.M. Russell Museum for a unique speaker series focused on Indigenous language.  Charles M. Russell had a great appreciation for Indigenous languages and cultures, which is communicated in the legacy of his artwork.  Viewers of his artwork can often find Plains Indian Sign Language (PISL) honored within Russell’s artwork but scholarship in its area has been minimal until now.  The C.M. Russell Museum looks forward to bringing together experts in Indigenous languages and cultures to discuss Russell’s portrayal of PISL in his paintings and how these portrayals play an important role in understanding the cultures that used PISL.  After the symposium, please join Jeremy Red Eagle on a walk-and-talk tour of the museum to take a closer look at the artwork and artifacts.