Why AxS Podcast from ArtCenter: Indigenous Futurism

In the fourth episode of the Why AxS podcast—where brilliant scientific and artistic minds ponder the important whys—we explore the rise of Futurism in Indigenous art as a means of enduring colonial trauma and envisioning a more inclusive and sustainable future.

We're joined by Virgil Ortiz, a Pueblo artist known for his traditional Cochiti figurative pottery and experimentations with science-fiction storytelling.

Ortiz's art is a testament to his boundless imagination and his ability to push boundaries. He creates art the way his ancestors did while interweaving futuristic, sci-fi themes that bring light to untold histories.

ReVOlt 1680/2180: Sirens & Sikas, for instance, unearths the artistry and significant history of the 1680 Pueblo Revolt, the only successful Native uprising against a colonizing power in North America (which you’ve likely never heard of.)

The striking piece is part of an exhibition currently on view at the Autry Museum of the American West entitled Future Imaginaries: Art, Fashion, Technology. The Autry’s Amy Scott joins this episode of the Why AxS to weigh in on the complex ideas animating an exhibition featuring over 50 works exploring representing a diverse array of Native cultures.

Part of Getty’s PST ART: Art & Science Collide (as is this podcast), the exhibition also opens audiences to the significance of non-Western knowledge, especially when it comes to climate change.

This is where our third guest, Dr. Daniel Wildcat, comes in. The professor and highly accomplished scholar works to incorporate Indigenous knowledge and culture into federal policy.

Join us for a lesson left out of the history books, as we imagine a more inclusive and sustainable future.