Indigenous artificats on display at Hockaday
The Hockaday Museum of Art announces in Kalisell presents “A Journey Through History: Art and Artifacts from the Collection of Dr. Van Kirke & Helen Nelson.”
The show is an exhibition of privately held items to be on display May 29-July 26.
The Hockaday’s exhibition, curated by Elizabeth Moss, offers a journey through time with significant works from Charles M. Russell, O.C. Seltzer, Edgar S. Paxson, Charles Fritz, Fred Fellows, John Fery, Joseph Henry Sharp, Carl Rungius, Edward Borein and many others. Items on display include illustrated hand-written letters and sketches by the artists who introduced the American West to the world. Artifacts from the indigenous peoples of the West and Southwest will also be on display.
“The size and breadth of this exhibition rivals or perhaps even exceeds the grandeur of the Hockaday’s own permanent collection,” museum director Elizabeth Moss said. “This display is a must-see for every local and visiting person who enjoys the art of the West, Glacier National Park, Montana and the native peoples of this land.”
Dr. Van Kirke and Helen Nelson are recognized throughout the nation as major collectors and have donated significant paintings, artifacts, and books to museums, historical societies, and public schools throughout the country. Dr. Nelson has observed the progression of several western museums, including The Russell in Great Falls.
The Nelsons have been ardent supporters of the Hockaday Museum of Art for many years, and presented the museum with a generous gift of a C.M. Russell original of “Young Boy,” which is now on permanent display at the Museum.
The opening reception for A Journey Through History will be May 29 from 5 to 7 p.m., an informal conversation with Dr. Van Kirke and Helen Nelson will be at 5:30 p.m. Admission to the opening reception is free. Throughout the exhibit, visitors may learn more about the collection by taking one of the docent-guided tours held Thursday and Saturday mornings at 10:30 a.m.
The Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
“A Journey Through History” was made possible by the significant support of Glacier Bank Directors and Friends, and by Glacier Bank. The Dr. Van Kirke and Helen Nelson Exhibition and Education Fund is supported by Scott and Jane Wheeler and Tabby and Bob Ivy. Catering for the public reception is provided by the Culinary Institute of Montana at Flathead Valley Community Colllege.
The Hockaday Museum of Art is in the cultural district of downtown Kalispell at 302 Second Ave. East. It is housed in a 1904 Carnegie Library building that appears on the National Register of Historic Places. The Museum is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, open year-round, Tues-Sat from 10am-5pm. A wheelchair accessible entry and elevator are provided. For more information, visit www.HockadayMuseum.org or call 406-755-5268.