Poster House presents survey of Native graphic arts

New York’s Poster House is hosting “Designed to Be Red,” a major survey of Native graphic arts on view through February. Curated by Native designer Brian Johnson, a citizen of the Monacan Indian Nation, the exhibition spans two centuries and features works from more than 60 tribes and nations.

Departing from traditional chronological displays, the exhibition is organized into five thematic sections: Indigenous Joy, Creative Sovereignty, Protest, It’s Complicated, and Extractive Marketing. Johnson noted that “Protest is literally the backbone of the entire gallery,” and stated the exhibition aims to showcase multiplicity and counter stereotypical portrayals of Indigenous peoples in popular culture.

The collection includes works by various artists, such as Kent Monkman, the Onaman Collective, and Anna Tsouhlarakis. The exhibition also expands the definition of graphic arts to include diverse forms, such as Jeffrey Gibson’s miniature ziggurat inspired by the ancient metropolis of Cahokia.