“Water’s Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe at the National Museum of the American Indian”
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC, is currently hosting a significant exhibition titled “Water’s Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe,” marking the first major retrospective of the acclaimed Hoocąk (Ho-Chunk) artist Truman Lowe (1944–2019). This monumental exhibition features nearly 50 sculptures and drawings that delve into Lowe’s cultural traditions and his deep connection with water and place.
Truman Lowe, who was not only an artist but also a museum curator, university educator, and mentor, has left an indelible mark on the field of American and Native North American art. His influence extends to generations of artists, scholars, and curators. Lowe’s career included serving as a long-time sculpture teacher at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and as the founding curator of contemporary art at the National Museum of the American Indian, where he played a crucial role in expanding the museum’s contemporary art collection.
The retrospective brings together significant works from public and private collections, including 28 pieces from the National Museum of the American Indian itself. The exhibition highlights Lowe’s reflections on his home’s waters and woodlands, family traditions, cultural memory, and the profound knowledge drawn from his Hoocąk heritage.
Curator Rebecca Head Trautmann expresses her excitement at sharing Lowe’s artistic vision and story with visitors, noting the resonance of his work’s thematic explorations of water and woodland structures with his family’s cultural traditions and memories.
Support for “Water’s Edge” has been generously provided by Bank of America, the Henry Luce Foundation, the Terra Foundation for American Art, Ameriprise Financial, and additional contributors John and Meryl Lavine, Greg and Cathy Tibbles, and Leslie A. Wheelock.
Accompanying the exhibition is a catalog featuring over 100 images of Lowe’s sculptures and drawings, along with scholarly essays that contextualize his art within the broader narrative of his life and heritage. Personal and historical photographs included in the catalog offer further insight into Lowe’s artistic influences and processes.
“Water’s Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe” is on exhibit until January 2027, offering a profound glimpse into the life and legacy of a pioneering artist. More information about the exhibition can be found at AmericanIndian.si.edu.