Edgar Heap of Birds is known internationally for his interventions in public spaces that bear witness to the invisible histories that are indelibly linked to a place, particularly histories concerning indigenous peoples. By working with straight forward aluminum signs, he poses questions about the authority turned over to signage. In creating this work he dealt with the continuum of the river by starting with the geological time when it was formed, followed by the people who lived along its shores, on through today’s stewardship of the river. He pairs signs that honor the river and speak of the events it has witnessed. For the layout he looked to park signs which often have borders, choosing for his own borders symbols that illuminate the message. Circa dates often found on a historic marker are also called out. While at first, the placement of signs at Wave Hill may seem incongruous with the experience of the garden, they offer the opportunity for discourse on the occasion of the Quadricentennial. With Please the Waters, the river is no longer a backdrop view; instead it brings to the forefront the turbulent events and accumulated history that shapes the relationship we have with the river today. Heap of Birds’ drawings in the gallery are an important part of the artist’s process to determine the specific language, tone, and cadence for each sign.

Working in visual arts, intervention and performance, Cheyenne Arapaho artist HOCK E AYE VI Edgar Heap of Birds has had a dynamic influence on the development of First Nation contemporary art across North America. One of his first Native Host projects was created for New York’s City Hall Park in 1989. On these signs the name of the official “host” is backwards and paired with the unrecognized tribal hosts. In 2007, the National Museum of the American Indian invited Heap of Birds to participate in the Venice Biennale. His project, Most Serene Republics, was located throughout Venice and honored the warriors who were coerced into performing in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show, and specifically those who died while the show toured Europe. A frequent lecturer and guest artist, his work has been exhibited and collected extensively worldwide. He has received awards from The National Endowment for the Arts, The Rockefeller Foundation, the Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation, The Wallace Foundation, the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts. Heap of Birds earned his MFA from Tyler School of Art, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA and his BFA from The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KA. He teaches Native American Studies and Fine Arts at the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OK.

More information can be found at www.heapofbirds.com