American Indian Art and Iconography brings together over twenty-five art objects and artifacts made by the indigenous peoples of North America. This Teaching Gallery exhibition, drawn from the Museum's permanent collection, explores the ways in which the imagery on the pottery, baskets, stone and metal work, and copper plaques conveys sacred meaning, tells a story, or communicates beliefs while also providing insight into the daily life and rituals of each culture represented. The exhibition is divided into sections based on the strata of the cosmos that the iconography represents—the Upper World, Middle World, or Lower World.
This Teaching Gallery exhibition is presented in conjunction with the course “American Indian Art and Iconography” offered by the Department of Anthropology and University College in spring 2010, and organized collaboratively by Carol Diaz-Granados, research associate in the department of anthropology; James R. Duncan, former director of the Missouri State Museum; and Carol Epstein, member of the National Council of Arts and Sciences.