In honor of National Native American History Month, FIT’s Art and Design Gallery—the school’s public contemporary art space—presents the exhibition Lighted Earth, on display from November 7 through December 1. A collaboration between FIT and the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the exhibition features work by students from both institutions.
Lighted Earth showcases student projects from IAIA’s jewelry class alongside a documentary film, Lighted Earth: Interviews with IAIA Jewelry and Design Students, filmed and edited by IAIA alum Frosley Fowler (Diné)*. The documentary features interviews with students and faculty, offering insights into the collections. FIT’s Graphic Design students developed the visual identity and all supporting graphics for the exhibition.
Participating FIT Graphic Design students are Sonya Bakst ’25, Jessica Ehrenfeld ’25, Veronica Ho-Lee ’25, Lasha Kituashvili ’24, Liam McKinley ’24, Megan O’Haire ’24, Jennifer Oguagha ’24, Stephanie Phillips ’24, and Jiaying Zhen ’25. Assistant Professor Joshua Whitehead curated the project.
IAIA students whose jewelry designs are on exhibit include Noelle Branstetter (Mescalero Apache), Jeremy Red Eagle (Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate and Assiniboine), Preston Johnson (Diné), Sabrina Miller, Lisa Patencio (Native Village of Ruby), Jennie Peters, Tawny Townsend (Diné), and Took Walker (Tlingit).
The exhibition also includes a display of works by designer Patricia Michael, a 2024 IAIA artist-in-residence. She will present her textile work with artists Margeaux Abeyta (Taos Pueblo and Navajo), Haiden R. Gould (Diné), and Stella B. Greendeer (Ho-Chunk Nation) and FIT Textile/Surface Design ’20.
Lighted Earth is presented during National Native American Heritage Month, which is celebrated each November in recognition of the history, culture, and contributions of Indigenous people in the United States. By partnering with IAIA and presenting the exhibition during this important month, FIT is helping to raise awareness of Indigenous arts and cultures by providing opportunities for lifelong learning and community engagement through higher education.
*Artists’ tribal affiliations are noted in parentheses.
Lighted Earth is on display in FIT’s Art and Design Gallery November 7–December 1. The gallery, located in the glass-walled lobby of the college’s Pomerantz Center, is a window into the college and a window out, serving as a space to foster learning and innovation. The gallery is free and open to the public from 9 am to 5 pm daily.
Visit fitnyc.edu/gallery for more information.