“Companion Species” embraces connections between Native and non-Native artists and the relationships between humans, animals, and the earth. The exhibition takes its title and inspiration from monumental textile by Marie Watt.
This fall the Chazen Museum of Art at the University of Wisconsin-Madison presents Companion Species, an insightful and timely exhibition that places works of art from Native and non-Native artists in conversation with each other. Its centerpiece is Marie Watt’s vibrant textile Companion Species (Speech Bubble) of 2019, in which community members stitched words such as “mother,” “we” and “ancestor” onto pieces of reclaimed red wool blankets. Through an innovative and frequently playful installation of works from 200 B.C.E. to the present day, the exhibition considers the importance of community, reciprocity, and fellowship with animals and nature. It will be on view at the Chazen from Oct. 18, 2021 through Dec. 30, 2021.
