Russel Albert Daniels — Wild Roses
Material, Salt Lake City's newest contemporary art gallery, is thrilled to present the exhibition "Russel Albert Daniels: Wild Roses."
This showcase features a collection of photographs and ink drawings by the nationally renowned Utah artist Russel Albert Daniels. The exhibition opens on Saturday, September 28, 2024, promising a unique experience for art enthusiasts.
Born and raised in Salt Lake City, UT, Russel Albert Daniels, Diné (Navajo) and Ho-Chunk, is a multidisciplinary photographer and artist. His craft places storytelling at the forefront of a documentary photography practice that aims to bring visibility to Native American communities throughout the American West.
His photography projects explore how identity, place, and history illuminate buried narratives of Western expansion. Daniels's stories about Bears Ears, Standing Rock, Two Spirit, the climate crisis on Indigenous lands, and the legacy of colonial-era Indigenous captivity and enslavement in the Southwest have sparked meaningful conversations about these complex hidden narratives.
Alongside a curated selection of his artistic black and white photographs, Daniels will unveil a series of ink drawings, a body of work he has been quietly and privately developing for the past four years. This revelation is expected to create a sense of anticipation and excitement among local audiences, offering an unprecedented look into Daniels's artistic evolution.
In his artist's statement for "Wild Roses," Daniels says, "These two distinct but connected bodies of work, ink drawings and photographs, are my attempt to step into a realm beyond the one we live in. This selection of work will give viewers a glimpse into my bigger, long-term projects capturing the socio-political, historical, and spiritual connections between nature, wildlife, and humans in the American West landscape. This work is a lifelong, soul-fulfilling odyssey to understand my identity, intuition, and sense of place in the world."
Material co-owner Jorge Rojas says, "We are honored to present this exhibition of Daniels's work. Daniels is an accomplished artist with a remarkable photography career, showing widely and collected by important local and national institutions. Best known for his powerful photographs, which will be on display, we're also excited to be the first venue to show Daniels's ink drawings. By juxtaposing Daniels's powerful photographs and ink drawings, we're excited for viewers to get a broader look at Daniels's creative process and overall practice. We're grateful to Daniels for choosing to exhibit his latest body of work at Material."
Material will host an opening reception for Russel Albert Daniels on Saturday, September 28, from 6:00-9 p.m., with an artist talk from 5:30-6:00 p.m. The exhibition will also be available for viewing on Friday, October 18, 6:00-8 p.m., as part of Salt Lake City's Gallery Stroll, during the closing reception on Friday, November 8, from 6:00-8 p.m., and by appointment. The artist will be present at both the opening and closing receptions, providing a unique opportunity for visitors to engage with the artist and gain a deeper understanding of his work.
About the Artist
Russel Albert Daniels, a native of Salt Lake City, Utah, and a University of Montana School of Journalism graduate, has significantly impacted the art community with his powerful photography. His work, which focuses on the resilience and identity of Native Americans and the challenges they face in preserving their cultures, has sparked meaningful conversations. His projects on culturally specific gender issues, the protection of Bears Ears National Monument, missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and the Dakota Access Pipeline protests near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in North Dakota have all contributed to a deeper understanding of these critical issues. Daniels's work has been widely exhibited and collected by significant local and national institutions, a testament to its influence and relevance.
Daniels's photos are included in the permanent collections at The Library of Congress, Utah Museum of Fine Art, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Salt Lake County Visual Art Collection, The State of Utah Alice Merrill Horne Art Collection, Amon Carter Museum of Art, and J. Willard Marriott Library. His photographs have been exhibited nationally and locally at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Tacoma Art Museum, Eiteljorg Museum, Utah Valley University Museum of Art, and Utah Museum of Fine Art. His photos have appeared in National Geographic, The New York Times, Mother Jones, High Country News, ProPublica, Emergence Magazine, and Sierra Magazine.
In May 2024, Daniels collaborated with Dr. Patricia Marroquin Norby (the first Indigenous curator at the MET) to exhibit The Abiquieños and The Artist at the Tacoma Art Museum, creating a conversation between original Georgia O'Keeffe paintings from New Mexico and Daniels's La Cautiva photographs from Abiquiu.
About Material
Built on the collective vision of artists Jorge Rojas and Colour Maisch, Material is a multifaceted art space housing a commercial gallery, artist studios, classes and community events. Material exhibits local, national, and international artists through community-centered events and collaborations.
