tacomaart@list.cityoftacoma.org

TacomaArt Listserv

Artwork of Shoalwater Bay artist Euguene Landry resurfaces in new exhibition at the Washington State History Museum

Derek Nguyen

Thu, Sep 12, 2024 5:00 PM

Artwork of Shoalwater Bay artist Euguene Landry resurfaces in new exhibition at the Washington State History Museum

[A poster of a painting of a boat Description automatically generated]https://www.washingtonhistory.org/exhibit/eugene-landry/Tacoma, WA – A new exhibition, What is Native Art? Eugene Landry and the Creative Spirit will feature the artwork of Shoalwater Bay Tribe artist Eugene Landry (1937-1988). This showcase shares the unique perspectives and resilience of a largely forgotten artist whose work captured a pivotal time in the Tribe's history. What is Native Art? will be on view at the Washington State History Museum from September 22, 2024, to March 30, 2025.

Native artist Eugene Landry (Hoh/Quileute) was raised on the Shoalwater Bay Indian Reservation in Pacific County, Washington. Landry overcame immense physical setbacks as an artist when he became paralyzed from meningitis as a teenager. After hospitalization at the Cushman Indian Hospital, he graduated from Lincoln High School in Tacoma and enrolled at the Leon F. Derbyshire School of Art in Seattle from 1960 to 1964. A further accident left him to learn to paint with his non-dominant hand and, later in his career, as his health declined, with a brush between his teeth. After passing in 1988, his work faded into obscurity outside the Tribe until a discovery in 2019 brought his art back into the spotlight.

While researching a story about Landry, artist Judith Altruda discovered approximately 70 of his paintings stored in the attic of his father's caregiver. With the help of a Humanities Washington Storytellers grant, the Tribe worked with Altruda to curate a collection of his work with an accompanying book called Portrait of Gene—An Artist, A Tribe, and a Time.

"A piece of art only lives when it is viewed and enjoyed by others," said Altruda. "I see these as puzzle pieces coming together now, thirty-plus years after Gene's death, to celebrate his art, life, and legacy."

Landry's artistic career spanned from 1960 to 1979, a crucial period in Shoalwater Bay Tribe’s history as they sought federal Tribal recognition. Landry offers an authentic account of the Shoalwater Bay community through his portraits and landscapes during this era when Native history was often misrepresented and marginalized.

This exhibition showcases a collection of Landry's artwork spanning his career, personal belongings, and letters that offer a glimpse into the creative mind of Eugene Landry.

For more information about What is Native Art? Eugene Landry and the Creative Spirit, please visit washingtonhistory.orghttp://washingtonhistory.org/.

#

About The Washington State Historical Society
The Washington State Historical Society partners with our communities to explore how history connects us all. The Society's most visible activity, the Washington State History Museum is located in downtown Tacoma on Pacific Avenue among a thriving cultural scene. The museum features interactive permanent exhibitions about Washington's past in the Great Hall, unique rotating exhibitions highlighting the Society's collections, and dynamic feature exhibitions, and hosts events and programs on a wide range of historical topics. The WSHS also offers curricula for teachers, and statewide educational support as well as consultation, support, and resources for museums and heritage organizations across the state.

Address: 1911 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, WA 98402
Hours: 10:00 AM–5:00 PM Tues.-Sun. Free monthly every third Thur. from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM Admission: FREE for members; Adults $14; seniors (age 65+), students (age 6-17) and military (with ID) $11; free for children 5 and under; family rate $40 (up to two adults and four children under age 18). Patrons with a Washington Quest card and licensed Washington Foster Parents can attend for $1 per person or $2 per family. FREE for active-duty military and up to 5 family members with ID as part of Blue Star Museums.

[A picture containing font, graphics, screenshot, design Description automatically generated]NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 12, 2024 MEDIA CONTACT: Derek Nguyen, Marketing and Communications Director, Washington State Historical Society, 253-317-1273 derek.nguyen@wshs.wa.gov<mailto:derek.nguyen@wshs.wa.gov> Artwork of Shoalwater Bay artist Euguene Landry resurfaces in new exhibition at the Washington State History Museum [A poster of a painting of a boat Description automatically generated]<https://www.washingtonhistory.org/exhibit/eugene-landry/>Tacoma, WA – A new exhibition, What is Native Art? Eugene Landry and the Creative Spirit will feature the artwork of Shoalwater Bay Tribe artist Eugene Landry (1937-1988). This showcase shares the unique perspectives and resilience of a largely forgotten artist whose work captured a pivotal time in the Tribe's history. What is Native Art? will be on view at the Washington State History Museum from September 22, 2024, to March 30, 2025. Native artist Eugene Landry (Hoh/Quileute) was raised on the Shoalwater Bay Indian Reservation in Pacific County, Washington. Landry overcame immense physical setbacks as an artist when he became paralyzed from meningitis as a teenager. After hospitalization at the Cushman Indian Hospital, he graduated from Lincoln High School in Tacoma and enrolled at the Leon F. Derbyshire School of Art in Seattle from 1960 to 1964. A further accident left him to learn to paint with his non-dominant hand and, later in his career, as his health declined, with a brush between his teeth. After passing in 1988, his work faded into obscurity outside the Tribe until a discovery in 2019 brought his art back into the spotlight. While researching a story about Landry, artist Judith Altruda discovered approximately 70 of his paintings stored in the attic of his father's caregiver. With the help of a Humanities Washington Storytellers grant, the Tribe worked with Altruda to curate a collection of his work with an accompanying book called Portrait of Gene—An Artist, A Tribe, and a Time. "A piece of art only lives when it is viewed and enjoyed by others," said Altruda. "I see these as puzzle pieces coming together now, thirty-plus years after Gene's death, to celebrate his art, life, and legacy." Landry's artistic career spanned from 1960 to 1979, a crucial period in Shoalwater Bay Tribe’s history as they sought federal Tribal recognition. Landry offers an authentic account of the Shoalwater Bay community through his portraits and landscapes during this era when Native history was often misrepresented and marginalized. This exhibition showcases a collection of Landry's artwork spanning his career, personal belongings, and letters that offer a glimpse into the creative mind of Eugene Landry. For more information about What is Native Art? Eugene Landry and the Creative Spirit, please visit washingtonhistory.org<http://washingtonhistory.org/>. # # # About The Washington State Historical Society The Washington State Historical Society partners with our communities to explore how history connects us all. The Society's most visible activity, the Washington State History Museum is located in downtown Tacoma on Pacific Avenue among a thriving cultural scene. The museum features interactive permanent exhibitions about Washington's past in the Great Hall, unique rotating exhibitions highlighting the Society's collections, and dynamic feature exhibitions, and hosts events and programs on a wide range of historical topics. The WSHS also offers curricula for teachers, and statewide educational support as well as consultation, support, and resources for museums and heritage organizations across the state. Address: 1911 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, WA 98402 Hours: 10:00 AM–5:00 PM Tues.-Sun. Free monthly every third Thur. from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM Admission: FREE for members; Adults $14; seniors (age 65+), students (age 6-17) and military (with ID) $11; free for children 5 and under; family rate $40 (up to two adults and four children under age 18). Patrons with a Washington Quest card and licensed Washington Foster Parents can attend for $1 per person or $2 per family. FREE for active-duty military and up to 5 family members with ID as part of Blue Star Museums.