Exhibition Overview

Here you stand. The ground is solid, and it seems as though nothing but dust is beneath the surface. It makes you wonder, under the sprawling land and cityscapes, what thousands and thousands of years of culture and pieces of history are left undiscovered?

This exhibit opens the floor to contemporary indigenous artwork in the Escalette Collection, and includes artists from the Akimel O’odham, Chemehuevi, Cahuilla, and Tongva tribes. Through photography, painting, mixed media, printmaking, and collage, these artists share perspectives and experiences that will enlighten and strengthen our connections with one another. These pieces are for everyone to love, interpret, and learn from. Let us use this space as inspiration and come together to enjoy art with open minds and hearts. There is a story out there to be heard.

This exhibition is part of Wilkinson College’s Engaging the World: Leading the Conversation on Ethnic Studies program. It was curated by students Halle Ahn, Amy Allen, Isabelle Au, Ellie Bickelhaupt, Fiona Bumgarner, Aaliyah Hale, Evelyn Kweon, Quinn Morgan, Reese Paddock, Diya Patel, Amanda Pipe, Jayden Ramirez, Rylie Shimabukuro, Emily Silva, and Chase Takamori.

Support is generously provided by the Ellingson Family, the Phyllis and Ross Escalette Permanent Art Collection, Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, and Chapman University’s First Year Focus (FFC) program.

Native Land 

We encourage you to learn more about the indigenous caretakers of the land you live on. 
Native Land is a resource to learn more about Indigenous territories, languages, lands, and ways of life. 
Wilkinson College's Land Acknowledgement.