The University of Montana Western Fine Arts Gallery is honored to present “The Magnitude of No One”, a solo exhibition by artist Sean Chandler. The exhibition opens on March 10, with a gallery reception and artist talk on Monday, March 31, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the Fine Arts Gallery, located in Main Hall.
In his own words, Chandler speaks about the works in this exhibition:
“As I define this concept of No One, or this person who is No One, I’m referring to a person that has been directly or indirectly destined to become No One through indoctrination. For me, this process began during the late 1800s during my great grandparents’ time in Indian boarding schools. It was in those places where my grandparents and parents were embedded with the notion that they can only achieve a lower level of success in mainstream America as compared with their non-Indian contemporaries. Eventually, generations later, many of us may fully believe that we can only go so far and never be free to be ourselves. The power of the underestimation of oneself, as well as others’ underestimation, can have a great impact on those that are defined to be No One.”
Sean Chandler is an artist and enrolled member of the Aaniinen (Gros Ventre Nation). He is also the President of Aaniiih Nakoda College located on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. In 2016, Dr. Chandler was appointed to the Montana Arts Council and in 2022, he was appointed to the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Art in 1997 and a Master of Arts in Native American Studies in 2003 from Montana State University-Bozeman. In 2014, he attained a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from The University of Montana.
Sean has always been involved in art, starting at an early age when his father taught him the traditional arts of his ancestors, including hide and tipi painting. Integrating those early teachings, Sean voices his own style to communicate the contemporary life he lives. Themes of racism, loneliness, depression, anger, humor, stereotypes, sovereignty, dependency and cultural genocide reside within Sean’s work.
His work has been collected by the Minneapolis Institute of Art, Yellowstone Art Museum, Missoula Art Museum and the Eiteljorg Museum. Sean was selected as one of five artists for the 2023 Eiteljorg Contemporary Art Fellowship of the Eiteljorg Museum of Indianapolis, IN. He resides in Harlem, MT, where he creates most of his artwork in his home studio.
“The Magnitude of No One” will be on display in Montana Western’s Fine Arts Gallery from March 10 to April 18. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. The March 31 gallery reception is open to all and will feature light refreshments. We look forward to seeing you there!
For more information, please contact Montana Western Fine Arts Gallery Coordinator Jennifer Boysen at jennifer.boysen@umwestern.edu.
