Native American artist Norman Akers, who uses cartographic imagery in paintings and prints to reference the history of a changing Indigenous landscape, has been selected as the inaugural Edgar Heap of Birds Family Artist in Residence at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture, Temple University.
Akers, a member of the Osage Nation who currently teaches painting in the Department of Visual Art at the University of Kansas, will spend January-May 2025 in the Tyler community focusing on his artistic practice and engaging with students and faculty.
The five-month residency, created and supported through an endowed gift from Tyler alum and multimedia artist, educator, and activist Edgar Heap of Birds (MFA '79), one of the most prominent Native American artists in contemporary art today, provides an opportunity for an artist to expand their studio practice while offering access to state-of-the art facilities.
Native traditions
“Being selected as the inaugural artist for this residency is an honor,” said Akers, adding the donation establishing the residency “aligns with Native traditional ways of giving. This gift is an act of giving back to a community to help Native artists move their careers forward and enlighten others on the issues Native peoples experience today.”
The residency supports artists whose work is primarily focused on the history and lived experience of North American federally recognized tribal citizens and who exemplify the art and activism of its namesake in bringing attention to the lives, struggles and triumphs of Native Americans.
Praise for Akers
“I am very excited about the upcoming participation of the outstanding artist Norman Akers in our residency program,” said Heap of Birds. “Norman has decades of studio practice and teaching experience and a solid history of caring for students and fellow artists. His studio output has been impressive over the many years.”
Heap of Birds said Akers, whose work has been widely collected by American museums, would bring to the residency “extensive knowledge of and commitment to the Osage Tribal Nation of Oklahoma.” He described Akers as “very active in tribal ceremony.” Akers serves on the Osage Nation Traditional Cultural Advisors committee to work on matters of cultural importance to the tribe.
Tyler Dean Susan E. Cahan praised the visionary gift that established the program. “Edgar Heap of Birds has demonstrated remarkable generosity and commitment to education through the Edgar Heap of Birds Family Artist Residency,” she said.
“Having artist Norman Akers, who is an elder in the Osage tribe, work day-to-day alongside our students and faculty will open natural and intimate pathways for learning about Indigenous history and culture.”
Culminating event
The residency will culminate in a solo exhibition at Temple Contemporary, Tyler’s center for exhibitions and public programming in the fall of 2025.
Temple Contemporary’s new director Dr. Matt Kenyatta lauded the residency as “the newest and latest example of how Temple Contemporary incubates talent while touching the full spectrum of public engagement.”
“This allows students and faculty the rare opportunity to see an accomplished artist pursuing ambitious projects during their prime,” Kenyatta said. He added that he hoped the residency and subsequent exhibition would draw audiences beyond Temple to appreciate Akers’ critically acclaimed work.
Check us out on Instagram @tyler_artandarchitecture to follow Akers' residency work.