The American Alliance of Museums (AAM) has announced that its keynote speaker for this year’s Annual Meeting is Gregg Deal.
Deal, a member of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, is a multi-disciplinary artist and activist. His work challenges ahistorical and stereotypical depictions of Indigenous people in art and is informed by his Native identity.
He will participate in a discussion with a fellow artist, curator, and historian to examine modern museum representation of Indigenous peoples’ past, present, and future. This session is supported by Art Processors, the experiential design consultancy.
Fascinating keynote address
Deal’s work includes critiques of American society, politics, popular culture and history through paintings, murals, performance pieces, films, spoken word and more. His pieces have been shown around the world, including at venues such as The Denver Art Museum, RedLine Gallery, and The Smithsonian Institution.
Speaking during a 2018 TED Talk, he described his work as “honoring Indigenous experiences, challenging stereotypes, and pushing for accurate representations of Indigenous people in art.”
The keynote address is scheduled for Saturday 20 May at 10 am.
This year’s Annual Meeting and MuseumExpo will take place in Denver, Colorado, from 19-22 May. Those wishing to attend are encouraged to register now, as event tickets are already selling out, and special rates on conference hotels end after 21 April.
AAM is set to highlight sustainability and community engagement as two of its key topics this year. During the event, attendees will be able to connect with colleagues, enjoy a packed agenda with insightful sessions and discussions, and leave with practical tools and strategies. There will also be networking opportunities, poster presentations and special events, as well as MuseumExpo.
The organisation also recently announced a $1m investment in an extended professional development and networking scheme for the museum community. This will provide new AAM member benefits, including increased opportunities for the museum community to connect and learn from one another, obtain professional training, and take part in national leadership and volunteer opportunities for personal and professional growth.
Images of Gregg Deal courtesy of Daniella Zalcman
