Exhibition Visit at OMCA with Photography Curator Drew Johnson

Join us for a guided exhibition tour of Dugan Aguilar's stunning retrospective 'Born of the Bear Dance' at the Oakland Museum of California, led by OMCA's Curator of Photography, Drew Johnson!

This event is open to Community Level Members and Collectors' Circle Members (limited group capacity); please don't hesitate to contact [email protected] for more information.

Registered attendees will be contacted prior to the event date with additional details for your visit.

*top image: 'Cousin Fred; Truckee' (1982), Dugan Aguilar

Artist & Exhibition Details:

Experience the diverse voices of California’s Indigenous peoples as they shape the present and future through the lens of celebrated Native photographer Dugan Aguilar.

OMCA’s latest exhibition, Born of the Bear Dance: Dugan Aguilar’s Photographs of Native California offers guests a first look at a significant collection that highlights Indigenous endurance and explores the vivid tapestry of contemporary Indigenous California life.

Aguilar’s work, spanning from 1982 to 2018, defies colonial narratives and captures instead an unwavering Indigenous presence and dynamic cultural practices. His powerful images document a rich array of Indigenous experiences, from breathtaking California landscapes to gatherings, ceremonies, and the artistry of basket weaving.

This collection honors and showcases moments of profound cultural significance and weaves together the stories of resilience and unyielding vitality that define contemporary Native life. More than simple documents, his photographs radiate a sense of quiet but determined celebration and resistance. Drawing from Aguilar’s extensive photographic archive, gifted to OMCA by his family in 2022, the exhibition brings these images to life through video, audio, and narratives from Indigenous artists, activists, elders, and community members.

*bottom image: 'Untitled (Self Portrait- Buena Vista Peaks)', Dugan Aguilar

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak Street, Oakland, United States