Visibility Through Art

The Visibility Through Art project was inspired by the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe's desire to engage local artists to create artwork that authentically represented the Nisenan and their rich but nearly forgotten history here in Nevada County. The goal: to create conscientious art pieces that discuss the history and culture of the Original Peoples of this land. This show requires continuous navigation of the sensitive and real topics of cultural appropriation, privilege, and erasure, especially with many of the artists being non-Nisenan.

Hear the story of how Visibility Through Art (VTA) was created and has evolved. The exhibit featured in this video is a compilation of artworks from VTA years 2017-2019 and was on display at The Center for the Arts: Granucci Gallery from August 28 - September 19, 2020.

As Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribal Spokesperson Shelly Covert explained,

“Giving a non-native artist permission to paint something of cultural importance is a constant struggle and is not to be seen as a “pass” for others to do the same. A Native artist recently asked me how my consent for this project might affect her and other Native artists who fight to keep cultural content in their own hands. And, while I don’t have an easy answer, I do see the importance of making it clear; this is a very special collaboration and it would not have worked without the Tribal Council having the final say in the details of the pieces. Artists were open every step of the way to many critiques, ideas, and concerns. In the end, the artworks absolutely further CHIRP’s mission: to preserve, protect and perpetuate Nisenan Culture. Visibility of the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan is paramount to getting our Federal Recognition back. What better way to accomplish this than through the Arts.”

We would like to make clear that the Artworks produced through VTA are gifted to the Tribe and CHIRP by participating artists and become part of CHIRP’s growing collection. Additionally, since 2021 participating artists have signed a copywrite release form in order to participate in the project, making CHIRP the sole owner of the artworks. These measures are set in place to create a container of cultural respect and integrity for the preservation of the Nisenan Tribe’s cultural heritage and stories.

Much of today's conversation revolves around the gold rush and our community doesn't know about the ancient Native American society of people who lived here long before the coming of the pioneers and settlers. Our deepest hope is to bring about awareness of local historic and current issues through the medium of art. A successful project will bring together the community to reflect on the future, navigating a collective conversation. This is not a simple journey, artists were asked to engage in deep listening to the stories and history shared with them by the Tribal Members, Tribal Council and Nisenan Elders. Together each artist collaborated individually with Tribal Members on their art pieces to create respectful and reflective works. Creating artworks that reflect the Nisenan people, Culture, and history is another way to preserve and bring visibility to the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan. It is difficult to openly talk about the near genocide and erasure of the Nisenan and the destruction of this land. Let us bring these conversations to light utilizing art as the conduit.

The power of art is that it can be a tool for informing, and for social change because it can provide a window into history and difficult experiences that would be hard to access without the medium of art. Art can act as a metaphor to relate complex topics in a deeply poignant and impactful way. We hope that this project serves to bring awareness to our community and the greater public, as well as, inspire settlers on any land to learn about and support the Indigenous peoples of the land they are occupying.

Thank you, to the many hands that supported in making this vision possible.

You can learn more about this project through reading articles from the Union and Native News about this project.

Art Prints

There are VTA art prints for sale in ‘Uba Seo: Nisenan Arts and Culture Gallery and in our online store!

In order to promote education and visibility, CHIRP has thoughtfully priced these prints so they remain at an accessible price point in conjunction with our non-profit mission. Participating Artists in CHIRP's Visibility Through Art Initiative have given their permission for these prints to be sold at what may be significantly lower prices than they would normally sell for. For that, we thank our Artists.