PEM in an Hour
3. Will Wilson (Diné) Photographs
This gallery is one of the first in the nation to pair Native American and American art. As you enter, look left and walk over to a series of black and white photographs by Diné photographer Will Wilson. Through a commission from PEM, this Native American artist invited nearby Wampanoag community members to have their portraits taken. Will shot with a 19th-century camera and 21st-century lens and perspective, using methods of wet plate photography. Unlike earlier staged romanticized Native portraits, Wilson encourages participants to represent themselves as they choose. Their facial expressions, clothing, and range of ages show us the vibrancy of Massachusetts Wampanoag community members today. Each sitter is given their tintype image in exchange for the artist’s ability to create digital versions for display. Does this make you think about your family photos? What's similar and what's different? How would you pose for such a portrait? What would you want the world and future generations to know about you?
Now we’ll meet a little further in this gallery at a different section. Keep walking, curve to the right and pass a series of paintings. Look to your left for a sign that says the Salem Witch Trials.