Crystal Bridges curator leads effort to elevate Indigenous art
Crystal Bridges museum reinstallation showcases diverse contemporary Native artists and global Indigenous perspectives.
Jordan Poorman Cocker in front of Melissa Cody's "Walking Off No Water Mesa" (2021) at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art (photo Petala Ironcloud/Hyperallergic)
Jordan Poorman Cocker, the curator of Indigenous art at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, has led a major reinstallation of contemporary Native works at the institution. This project, co-spearheaded by Art Bridges curator Ashley Holland, aims to highlight the diverse styles and mediums of living Native artists.
The initiative coincided with a two-day symposium held at the museum on Oct. 16 and 17, 2026. The event featured presentations from various Indigenous artists and scholars, including keynote speaker Jeffrey Gibson, as well as Melissa Cody, Lola Cody, and Lehuauakea.
Poorman Cocker, a citizen of the Kiowa Tribe and the Kingdom of Tonga, was hired as the museum’s first full-time curator of Indigenous art and NAGPRA officer in 2023. Her work is part of a broader effort at the Bentonville, Arkansas, museum to expand its representation of Indigenous art, which currently accounts for approximately 3% of the permanent collection.
The museum, founded by Alice Walton, is situated on the ancestral homelands of the Osage, Quapaw, and Caddo Nations. As part of the recent reinstallation, which follows an earlier effort in June 2026, Poorman Cocker emphasized the intentional placement of specific works, noting that visitors will encounter pieces such as Jeffrey Gibson’s The Enforcer.