The 2023–2024 IAIA BFA Exhibition: Indigenous Presence, Indigenous Futures,highlights the remarkable creativity of IAIA’s BFA seniors in Studio Arts, Cinematic Arts, and Creative Writing. Indigenous Presence, Indigenous Futures aims to show how these graduating students honor the future as much as the past. As ambassadors, these up-and-coming graduating students carry the legacies of their cultures; as individuals, they offer unique insights; and as teammates, they reflect a collective dream for a brighter tomorrow. Although the community at IAIA is comprised of students from diverse backgrounds, the students’ voices culminate in a compelling message: “The world needs more of what we got to offer.”

Each student at IAIA has a unique vision, based on their personal history, cultural background, and worldview. However, despite these differences among individuals, there exist values that unite IAIA students as a community: embracing Indigenous self-representation, combating settler mentality, and making a difference in the world through sharing Indigenous perspectives by means of a contemporary visual language. By acknowledging their pasts, the featured artists in Indigenous Presence, Indigenous Futures extend their cultural backgrounds to their conceptions of the future. This exhibition invites visitors to contemplate to what shapes them, and question how their values shape their worldview.

This exhibition is curated by Museum Studies student Zoe Childs and installed with the help of student preparators Sally Mittler and Charlize Pourier (Oglala Lakota), who worked closely together with MoCNA Curatorial Assistant Erika Knecht to gain practical experience in the field.