No. 598: Faye HeavyShield, Barbara T. Smith

Episode No. 598 of The Modern Art Notes Podcast features artist Faye HeavyShield and curator Glenn Phillips.

The Pulitzer Arts Foundation in Saint Louis is presenting “Faye HeavyShield: Confluences,” a career-spanning presentation of HeavyShield’s work that includes drawings, sculptures and installations, and two commissions that engage the landscapes and histories of the Saint Louis region. HeavyShield’s spare, often minimal vocabulary and use of modest materials often addresses land, traditional Kainai stories, and HeavyShield’s experiences in the residential school system. The exhibition, which was curated by Tamara Schenkenberg, will be on view through August 6.

A member of the Kainai (Blood) Nation, part of the Blackfoot Confederacy, Heavyshield lives and works in the foothills of southern Alberta.

Phillips discusses “Barbara T. Smith: The Way to Be,” a presentation of work from the first 50 years of Smith’s career (1931-81). Phillips co-curated the exhibition with Pietro Rigolo. It’s on view at the Getty Research Institute in Los Angeles through July 16.

Smith is a pioneering second-wave feminist artist whose work addressed the seemingly limited options available to women from Smith’s class and racial background. Phillips worked with Smith to present the exhibition in her own voice, which coincides with the Getty’s publication of Smith’s memoir, “The Way to Be: A Memoir.” Amazon and Bookshop offer it for $24-46.

The playlist of videos that the Getty Research Institute has provided from the Barbara T. Smith archive is here.

Air date: April 20, 2023.