A better definition of obesity
January 14, 2025
The Block Museum of Art at Northwestern presents “it takes a long time to stay here: Paintings by Jordan Ann Craig,” the first major solo exhibition in the Midwest of work by the Northern Cheyenne artist. Opening on Jan. 25 and running through April 13, the exhibition will showcase seven large-scale abstract paintings displayed together for the first time.
Craig’s bold, abstract practice blends innovative uses of color, line and form with a deep connection to Northern Cheyenne aesthetic traditions. Influenced by Indigenous art forms such as beadwork, pottery and textiles, her work is inspired by extensive research into museum collections, archives and the vibrant landscapes of the Southwestern United States, where she lives and works.
“Jordan Ann Craig’s paintings invite slow, contemplative engagement through their intricate combinations of color, geometry and form,” said Kathleen Bickford Berzock, associate director of curatorial affairs at The Block Museum. “We can reflect on their surfaces, the Indigenous histories of abstraction they draw from, and the often humorous, profound titles Craig assigns to each work.”
The exhibition’s title — drawn from Northern Cheyenne poet m.s. RedCherries’ “spinning air” — emphasizes themes of reflection, grounding and interconnectedness. Craig’s intricate patterns, rich palettes and enigmatic titles encourage immersive viewing, where deeper meaning unfolds through observation.
Craig views her art as an extension of her family’s creative legacy, shaped by a childhood filled with artmaking. “My parents gave us art supplies instead of toys,” she recalls. “My dad built furniture and painted, and my mom was constantly crafting and creating. That sense of play and precision now defines my paintings.”
“it takes a long time to stay here” runs concurrently with “Woven Being: Art for Zhegagoynak/Chicagoland,” a landmark exhibition that foregrounds Indigenous voices, histories and methodologies through the lens of the Chicagoland region and its Native communities.
A keynote event on Wednesday, Feb. 26, at 6 p.m. features Craig in conversation with m.s. RedCherries. Free and open to all, the event will offer a unique opportunity to hear from two Northern Cheyenne cultural leaders as they explore themes of identity, grounding and creative expression that are central to Craig’s artistic practice. Their conversation will be moderated by Jordan Poorman Cocker, 2021–25 Terra Foundation guest co-curator of Woven Being: Art for Zhegagoynak/Chicagoland and the curator of Indigenous art at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. RSVPs are requested.
The Block has acquired one of Craig’s works, “Sharp Tongue: Used to Cut Deep,” for its permanent collection.
In conjunction with “it takes a long time to stay here,” The Block Museum also has acquired one of Craig’s works for its permanent collection. Titled “Sharp Tongue: Used to Cut Deep” (2024), the acquisition will directly support teaching and learning across Northwestern.
Having grown up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Craig now lives and works in Pojoaque Valley, New Mexico. She received her bachelor’s degree in studio art and psychology from Dartmouth College.
She has received several fellowships and residencies including from the Golden Foundation for the Arts; the School for Advanced Research; the Institute for American Indian Arts; the Roswell Artist-in-Residence Program; the Ucross Foundation; East London Printmakers Project; Cork Printmakers International; and the Scuola Internazionale di Grafica. Her works are in the collection of the Guggenheim Museum, New York; Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire; Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art, Roswell, New Mexico; IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico, Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, Overland Park, Kansas; and Forge Collection, Taghkanic, New York, among others.
“it takes a long time to stay here” is curated by Kathleen Bickford Berzock, associate director of curatorial affairs; Janet Dees, former Steven and Lisa Munster Tananbaum Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art; and Jacqueline Lopez, 2024-25 interdisciplinary graduate fellow at The Block Museum of Art. The exhibition is partially supported by the Alsdorf Gallery Endowment and a grant from the Illinois Arts Council. Additional support is provided by the Alumnae of Northwestern University. Support for the publication has been provided by Hales Gallery, New York.
