Jehorek notes, “Derek and I have been developing this idea for more than two years, knowing that for it to be meaningful, Indigenous voices had to shape it from within. Inviting Chase into the curatorial process changed everything. His connections, historical knowledge, and lived relationship to the culture elevated the exhibition far beyond what we could have achieved alone.” 

The exhibition features thirteen artists representing eleven tribes, including Choctaw, Cherokee, Seminole, Chickasaw, Muscogee, Coushatta, Otoe-Missouria, Delaware, and Sac and Fox Nations. Earles shares, “I am excited to be part of an exhibition that brings awareness to the Caddo people and to the art of the tribes of the Southeast. Caddo history and culture, along with many Mississippian tribes, are underrepresented in the broader Native American art world. There is so much contemporary Native art reinterpreting history that should not be overlooked. These ancient cultures, present on this continent since time immemorial, played a significant role in shaping what is now the United States. I am especially honored that this exhibition is taking place in Texas, one of the Caddo homeland states, whose name derives from the Caddo word ‘Taysha,’ meaning friendship.” 

Derek Frazier adds, “For me, working in the museum field is about giving a voice to artists. In this case, we are especially proud to provide a platform for artistic expression that has too often been overlooked or silenced. Two hundred and fifty years isa long time—and these artists have much to say.”