Visceral: Verity Legacy Identity
Alaska Native Gut Knowledge and Perseverance
The Visceral Trilogy
May 10–October 9, 2023
A series of three interrelated Visceral exhibitions explore contemporary and historical Alaska Native issues, spotlighting gut as a conduit for Indigenous voices.
Visceral: Verity is the solo exhibition of contemporary artist Sonya Kelliher-Combs. Her mixed-media installations combine combines natural and synthetic materials and evoke questions of authentic experience, truth, abuse, transparency, and credibility. Sonya is one of only a few artists working with marine mammal gut.
Visceral: Legacy is a further interpretation of Sonya’s solo exhibition themes through objects that she and fellow gut enthusiast and Alaska State Museum conservator Ellen Carrlee chose from the museum’s permanent collection. As a guest curator, Sonya brings the richness of her childhood in Nome, her international career as an artist, her life in Anchorage, and her insights as a person of Iñupiaq, Athabascan, and European heritage.
Visceral: Identity features a selection of gut parkas from across Alaska to highlight the technical and historical aspects of this remarkable material in cross-cultural perspective. Ellen and Sonya explore the latest (analytical and social science) research examining this medium and why gut remains a significant material for key relationships in Alaska.
These three galleries were open through the summer 2023 season, augmented by special workshops and lectures, and closed in October 2023.
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Behind the Scenes of Visceral
Alaska State Museum conservator Ellen Carrlee gives a public presentation about her conservation treatments of gut objects featured in the exhibition Visceral and a behind-the-scenes look at what it took to put the show together.
Elaine Kingeekuk and the Arts from Savoonga
Raktenga Elaine Kingeekuk gives a public presentation about her cultural and artistic practices making dolls, gut baskets, toddler regalia, and jewelry from customary St. Lawrence Island Yupik materials. Ms. Kingeekuk is a St. Lawrence Island Yupik culture bearer and co-author of the book Seal, Thimble & Sinew Thread: Sewing Art of the Siberian Yupiks from Savoonga, Alaska.
Visceral Panel Discussion with Sonya Kelliher-Combs, Ellen Carrlee, and Sven Haakanson
Visceral: Verity, Legacy, Identity - Alaska Native Gut Knowledge and Perseverance co-curators Sonya Kelliher-Combs and Dr. Ellen Carrlee are joined by Dr. Sven Haakanson, Jr. for a discussion exploring contemporary and historical Alaska Native issues, spotlighting gut as a conduit for Indigenous voices.
Visceral-Verity with Sonya Kelliher-Combs
Alaska State Museum Solo Artist and Visceral Co-Curator Sonya Kelliher-Combs gives a lecture about her mixed-media work which employs both natural and synthetic materials and draws attention to questions of authentic experience, truth, abuse, transparency, and credibility.
The Visceral exhibition catalog is available for purchase through Friends of the Alaska State Libraries, Archives, and Museum.