About this Event
Enjoy an artful evening that celebrates Water’s Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe, and learn about the impact of the acclaimed Hoocąk artist and educator on filmmaker and visual artist Sky Hopinka (Ho-Chunk Nation/Pechanga Band of Indians).
Sky Hopinka’s photo and video art—including This is a mnemonic for Truman Lowe in the museum’s collection—shares Truman Lowe’s interest in Indigenous homelands, cultural knowledge, and traditional practices. Hopinka contributed to the exhibition catalog for Water’s Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe, writing on Lowe’s lasting impact on his work. Hopinka joins the museum for this special after hours event featuring a screening of three of his short video works followed by a discussion with Rebecca Head Trautmann, Assistant Curator of Contemporary Art and exhibition curator, along with art-making activities, and a closer look at some of Lowe’s work currently on view.
Sky Hopinka has been widely recognized for his experimental short films and photo-based works. A MacArthur Fellow, Guggenheim Fellow, and Forge Project Fellow, his work has been shown in major film festivals, museums, and international exhibitions and is in numerous prominent museum collections. Hopinka is currently an assistant professor in the department of Art, Film, and Visual Studies at Harvard University.
Image credit: "Fainting Spells" (film still), courtesy of Sky Hopinka
Agenda
🕑: 06:00 PM - 08:45 PM
Espresso Bar Open | Level 1
Info: Small bites and and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages available for purchase. *Please do not take food or beverages beyond Level 1.
🕑: 06:00 PM - 08:45 PM
Creative Reflections | Level 1, Outside Rasmuson Theater
Info: Take a moment to slow down and explore your creativity through a hands-on art activity inspired by Water’s Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe. Reflect on themes of nature, movement, and place as you create your own work of art.
🕑: 06:00 PM - 08:45 PM
Materials in the Making | Level 3, Water’s Edge, North Gallery
Info: Step into the artist's world through an interactive materials experience. Discover and handle the raw materials used in the artwork while engaging in conversations about texture, meaning, process, and inspiration.
🕑: 06:15 PM - 06:45 PM
Closer Look: Water’s Edge | Level 3, Water’s Edge, North Gallery
Info: Join the exhibition’s curator, Rebecca Trautmann, for deeper consideration of select artworks in "Water’s Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe".
🕑: 07:00 PM - 08:00 PM
Screening, Talk: Sky Hopinka and Rebecca Trautmann | Level 1, Rasmuson Theater
Info: Following a screening of three of Hopinka’s short video works (Runtime: 30 min.), the multidisciplinary artist will sit down with Rebecca Head Trautmann, Assistant Curator of Contemporary Art at the museum, for a conversation about his art practice, inspiration, and the legacy of Truman Lowe.
-"Fainting Spells" (USA, 2018, 10 min.)
- "The Island Weights" (USA, 2021, 10 min.)
- "He Who Wears Faces on His Ears" (USA, 2025, 10 min.) Learn more about the short video works on our website: https://s.si.edu/3U6udTa
Event venue & nearby stays
National Museum of the American Indian, 4th Street and Independence Avenue Southwest, Washington, United States
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