Joshua Adams
(Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
Disruption
An art intervention installed throughout the Museum of the Cherokee People’s permanent exhibition, Disruption invites 36 Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) and Cherokee Nation artists to respond to the removal of funerary and culturally sensitive objects from public view.
Made using traditional aesthetics, the contemporary works disrupting the Museum’s archaeological timeline—drawn and painted, carved from wood, shaped in clay, woven in thread, and crafted using a number of innovative mixed media methods—offer Native perspectives on Cherokee culture, history, and current issues.
Disruption is organized by MotCP and curated by Evan Mathis, Director of Collections & Exhibitions, and Dakota Brown (EBCI), Director of Education.
Disruption was on view from September 11, 2022 through December 29, 2023.
Featured Artists
Haley Atsei Cooper
(Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
Shennelle Feather
(Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Diné, Lakota)
John Henry Gloyne
(Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Osage, Pawnee)
Louise Goings
(Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
Keli ᎨᎳᏗ Gonzales
(Cherokee Nation)
Luzene Hill
(Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
Adrienne Keene
(Cherokee Nation)
Darius Lambert
(Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
Michelle Long
(Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
Tyra Maney
(Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Diné)
Toby McCoy
(Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
Tara McCoy
(Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
Lou Montelongo
(Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
Dylan Morgan
(Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
Gina Amanda Myers (Swimmer)
(Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
Lori Reed
(Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
Isabella Saunooke
(Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
Chi Shipman
(Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
Kindra Swafford
(Cherokee Nation)
Jakeli Swimmer
(Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
Mikhail Swimmer
(Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
Kevin Tafoya
(Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Santa Clara Pueblo)
Skye Tafoya
(Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Santa Clara Pueblo)
Emma Taylor
(Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
Nola Pina
(Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
Billy Joe Welch
(Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
Tovah Welch
(Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
Levi West
(Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
Jarrett Wildcatt
(Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
Jennifer Wilson
(Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
Disruption in the News
‘Disruption’ is just the start of a shift in storytelling at the Museum of the Cherokee People (Blue Ridge Public Radio)
After removing sensitive objects, Cherokee museum fills cases with artistic responses (Smoky Mountain News)
“Disruption” shakes up Museum of the Cherokee People exhibit (Cherokee One Feather)
