Join us the evening of June 12 for a special presentation in our Peter Hassrick Public Program series. Former Whitney Western Art Museum curator Mindy Besaw will present Knowing the West, a traveling exhibition she co-curated with Jami Powell. The show premiered at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas, where Besaw has worked since 2014.

About the Program
Mindy Besaw offers a fresh look at Knowing the West, the first major traveling exhibition to present the American West as a more inclusive and complex place shaped by many cultures. While many Americans feel they already “know the West”—through personal experience or popular media—this exhibition encourages deeper reflection. Featuring over 120 works by Native and non-Native artists, including textiles, baskets, paintings, pottery, and more, it invites a broader understanding of Western art and life. Besaw will highlight standout pieces, share artists’ stories, and provide a behind-the-scenes look at the collaborative process that brought the exhibition to life.

Knowing the West premiered at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art (September 2024–January 2025). It travels to the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens in Jacksonville, Florida (March–August 2025) and North Carolina Museum of Art (March–May 2026). The exhibition is accompanied by a multi-author, full-color catalogue, published by Rizzoli.