Brinton Museum exhibit reframes Battle of the Little Bighorn through Native American art

The Brinton Museum in Big Horn, Wyoming, will open a new exhibition on April 17 that reframes the Battle of the Little Bighorn through both historic and contemporary Native American art, according to Sheridan Media. Titled "The Unfinished War: The Battle of the Little Bighorn in Native American Art," the showcase runs through Sept. 14 and coincides with the 150th anniversary of the historic clash. By featuring ledger drawings, muslin paintings and modern works by Indigenous artists like Stephen Standing Bear and Fritz Scholder, the collection challenges traditional Western narratives of the battle. The exhibit highlights how Native visual language preserved the lived experiences and multiple realities of the conflict, which is known to many Plains tribes as the Battle of the Greasy Grass.

A free opening reception is scheduled for April 16 from 5 to 7 p.m., featuring remarks by museum curatorial director Jochen Wierich and a presentation by Cheyenne River Sioux artist Rhonda Holy Bear. The museum will also host a series of public programs this summer to further explore the exhibition's themes of cultural memory and oral history.