Wendy Red Star discusses Crow Fair's cultural resilience and her artistic practice

Wendy Red Star, an Apsáalooke artist, explores themes of trauma, healing, and cultural reclamation in her work. The Crow Fair, established in 1904 by Indian agent Samuel G. Reynolds, was initially a government effort to assimilate the Apsáalooke people by introducing farming and restricting their nomadic lifestyle. Reynolds incorporated native cultural elements, including a morning parade symbolizing movement to new camps, to encourage participation. Red Star highlights how parade floats, adorned with family regalia like war bonnets and elk-tooth dresses, serve as maps of identity and symbols of cultural resilience. Her family's float, Hawate (One), features a war bonnet made by her grand-uncle Clive Francis Dust, Sr., and her grandmother's handmade shawls. Red Star's series A Float for Future incorporates both public regalia and private undergarments, reflecting the Apsáalooke's dual identities. She emphasizes the importance of preserving the endangered Apsáalooke language through her work, such as in 1880 Crow Peace Delegation (2014). Crow Fair has evolved into a cultural revival, immersing participants in Apsáalooke heritage and educating future generations. Red Star calls for the repatriation of materials held by institutions to reunite the community with its history. Her monograph, Wendy Red Star: Delegation, was published by Aperture in May 2022, and her exhibition American Progress is on view at the Anderson Collection at Stanford University through August 28.