Tekcno Powwow Jr.2 : To the Second Power continues Bently Spang’s groundbreaking performance series, merging powwow traditions with contemporary cultural expressions.
This coming Sunday, October 12, from 11 am to 3 pm, acclaimed Northern Cheyenne artist Bently Spang will present Tekcno Powwow Jr.2: To the Second Power, a fascinating multidisciplinary performance art piece on Rutgers’ Voorhees Mall in New Brunswick, New Jersey. This free event serves as a condensed version of his transformative Tekcno Powwow series, which first launched in 2004. The series is known for its innovative blend of powwow traditions with modern cultural elements like breakdancing and hip-hop, creating a vivid exploration of cultural intersections through artistic performance.
As a prominent artist, curator, educator, and writer, Bently Spang is internationally recognized for his work that challenges stereotypes and deconstructs the romanticized narratives surrounding Native peoples, especially those related to “The West.” Being an enrolled member of the Tsitsistas/Suhtai Nation (Northern Cheyenne), he employs various media including video, performance, installation, sculpture, and photography to articulate contemporary Indigenous identity and to contest dominant historical narratives, earning recognition at exhibitions around the globe.
Spang’s performance on October 12 coincides with the Zimmerli Art Museum’s exhibition, Indigenous Identities: Here, Now & Always, curated by the esteemed late artist Jaune Quick-to-See Smith (Confederated Salish and Kootenai Nation). This exhibition is remarkable, marking a pivotal moment as the largest curatorial endeavor in her 60-year career. It provides an extensive showcase of contemporary Native American art, featuring 97 living artists representing over 74 Indigenous nations and communities across North America, while emphasizing the vital role of identity in Indigenous artistry and affirming its rightful position within the contemporary art narrative.
Together, Bently Spang’s performance and the exhibition at the Zimmerli Art Museum illuminate the vibrancy, complexity, and continuous evolution of Native American cultural expressions within today’s art landscape.
For additional details and to RSVP, please visit zimmerli.rutgers.edu.
The Zimmerli’s operations, exhibitions, and programs are generously funded, in part by Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and supported by the Avenir Endowment Fund and the Andrew W. Mellon Endowment Fund. Additional financial assistance comes from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as Bloomberg Philanthropies and the contributions of museum supporters and patrons.
Special acknowledgment is given to the Art Bridges Foundation for providing generous support for bilingual initiatives through their Access for All program.
Grant funding has also been provided by the Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners, through a grant award from the Middlesex County Cultural and Arts Trust Fund.
