A new contemporary art exhibition in Fort Lauderdale, on display from Oct. 22 through Jan. 6, 2024, will feature the work of a group of artists from the Seminole Tribe. “Chehantamo: How are you?” is the 10th installment of History Fort Lauderdale’s annual Native American heritage exhibition, which is timed to begin just before National Native American Heritage Month in November.

The exhibit is curated by Tara Chadwick, curator of exhibitions at History Fort Lauderdale, in collaboration with officials at the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum in Big Cypress. The mixed media, textile and digital pieces are “from the perspective of contemporary Seminole artists juxtaposed with historic artistic context.”

Participating Seminole artists so far (Chadwick said more could be added) include Nicholas DiCarlo, Danielle Nelson, Victoria Osceola, Samuel Tommie, Corinne Zepeda, and the late Elizabeth Buster.

“We are at the beginning of an exciting new era for contemporary Indigenous art both locally and globally,” Chadwick said in an email to the Tribune.

Chadwick noted that the just ended “Reclaiming Home: Contemporary Seminole Art” exhibition featured the work of seven Seminole artists from March 18 through Sept. 4 at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota – a first.

“Hosting the annual Native American heritage exhibitions and bringing these into the view of the global art market through institutions such as [Miami Beach’s] Art Basel has been part of a continent-wide effort to center contemporary Indigenous artists within their own ancestral homelands,” Chadwick said.

Last year, the History Fort Lauderdale exhibition was “Chono Thlee: Sparking a new era in Seminole art.” It featured 60 pieces by 20 Seminole artists.

History Fort Lauderdale also has Seminole-related content in its permanent exhibits. “From Dugouts to Dream Yachts: the story of boatbuilding along the New River,” traces a line from the Seminoles through the ever-changing use of Fort Lauderdale’s waterways for travel, commerce and tourism. Daniel Tommie loaned the museum a small dugout canoe for the exhibit – about five feet long by eight inches wide. Other exhibits include “Fort Lauderdale in the Seminole Wars,” and “Archeology of the New River.”

Opening day for “Chehantamo” on Oct. 22 includes a meet-and-greet with the artists. It begins at 2 p.m.

History Fort Lauderdale consists of three museums – the History Museum of Fort Lauderdale inside the 1905-built New River Inn, the 1907-built Pioneer House Museum and the 1899-built Ivy Cromartie Schoolhouse Museum. The Seminole exhibits take place in the History Museum.

History Fort Lauderdale is located at 231 SW Second Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. For more information, including tickets, go to historyfortlauderdale.org or call (954) 463-4431.