News Release

New Exhibit at the Fort Vancouver Visitor Center to Feature Nez Perce Artist Kevin Peters

Painting of a man wearing Nez Perce regalia holding a hatchet.
Kevin Peters' 1992 painting "Walks Softly and Carries One Large Hatchet" will be on display, along with other works by the artist, at the Fort Vancouver Visitor Center.

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News Release Date: August 6, 2019

Contact: Meagan Huff, Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, (360) 816-6255

Contact: Kelly Kincaid, Nez Perce National Historical Park, (208) 843-7014

Kevin Peters: Redefining Past and Present, a new exhibit featuring Nez Perce artist Kevin Peters, will open at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site on August 17, 2019. The exhibit opening will be accompanied by a talk by the artist, and a tipi raising program presented by national park rangers and curators from Nez Perce National Historical Park.

 Born in 1957 and raised in Lewiston, Idaho, Kevin Peters studied two-dimensional art, art history, photography, live drawing, and museum studies at the Institute of American Indian Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He assisted with the development of the Yakama Nation Cultural Center, and has worked as an interpreter at Nez Perce National Historical Park and Big Hole National Battlefield. Kevin has also exhibited his artwork at national parks and other cultural institutions in the region. Kevin’s most coveted pieces are traditional works such as quirts, headdresses, and buckskin and rawhide items. His paintings and drawing honor past artist and incorporate traditional values and history while reflecting contemporary Nez Perce culture.

On August 17, 2019, at 2 pm, at the Fort Vancouver Visitor Center, Kevin will deliver a presentation on his artwork and its cultural significance. Following this presentation, the public is invited to a tipi raising program outside the visitor center. Visitors will assist Nez Perce National Historical Park curators and rangers in the raising of a tipi painted by Kevin Peters. Visitors will learn about the parts, uses, and historical evolution of the tipi, and the Indigenous cultures of the Columbia Plateau.

“The Nez Perce people have a long and complex connection to this site, from trade and kinship to, sadly, war and incarceration,” said Fort Vancouver National Historic Site Superintendent Tracy Fortmann. “We are so pleased to feature Kevin Peters as our next guest artist, and highlight tradition, resiliency, and creativity. We are also pleased to welcome our colleagues from Nez Perce National Historical Park, showcasing that unique unit of the National Park System.”

What: Exhibit opening featuring artwork by Nez Perce artist Kevin Peters

When: The exhibit will be on view from August 17, 2019 to February 15, 2020. On Saturday, August 17, 2019, at 2 pm, Kevin Peters will discuss his work in a free public talk at the Visitor Center. This talk will be followed by an outdoor tipi raising program with park rangers and curators from Nez Perce National Historical Park.

Where: The Fort Vancouver Visitor Center, 1501 E Evergreen Blvd, Vancouver, WA 98661

Cost: Free
 



Last updated: August 6, 2019

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