American Indian Sculpture Garden Opens in Washington, D.C

Washington, DC – September 26, 2002. The Indian Craft Shop and the Department of the Interior held the grand opening of the American Indian Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, September 19, "This Garden was designed to showcase outdoor sculptures by American Indian artists," says Director Susan Pourian.

The Indian Craft Shop was joined at the opening by key representatives of Guest Services, Inc. (which operates the Shop), Interior officials, special guests and Guest Artist Cliff Fragua. The Garden is set in a beautiful and spacious flagstone patio that was redesigned to create a premier exhibit area for contemporary sculptors. Cliff Fragua, a nationally recognized sculptor from the Jemez Pueblo, was the honored guest artist during the opening. Cliff was recently selected by the State of New Mexico to install a sculpture in Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. Established by Congress in 1864 to honor great Americans, each state can install two sculptures for permanent display in Statuary Hall.

The Sculpture Garden will include work from both emerging and highly acclaimed artists. The Sculpture Garden is a wonderful expansion of the Shop. The opening exhibition includes works from emerging and highly acclaimed artists. Artists whose works will be shown include Cliff Fragua (Jemez), Rollie Grandbois (Turtle Mountain Chippewa), Mark Fischer (Oneida Tribe of Wisconsin) and Kathy Whitman (Mandan, Hidatsa & Arikara).

The Sculpture Garden evolved from the renovations made to the Shop two years earlier by Guest Services and the Department of the Interior. Interior's architect pointed out that there was an exterior door behind the built in wall cases in the second room. The cases were pulled out to allow natural light into this room and the original door was exposed. One thing led to another, and the idea to develop a sculpture garden was born.

In her acknowledgements during the presentation, Susan Pourian thanked a number of people, including -- American Indian artists for pursuing their art and bringing it to the world, customers and patrons for supporting the arts and by adding it to their lives, the staff of the Shop whose passion and devotion to the arts, the Department of the Interior for their continued support of the arts, the executive leadership of Guest Services, Inc. for their support of artist and outreach programs the shop develops, and the Department of the Interior National Business Center team for their dedication and devotion in redesigning and constructing the garden.

The Indian Craft Shop, managed by Guest Services, Inc., represents authentic American Indian arts and crafts from over 45 tribal areas within the United States. The Shop has been inside the Department of the Interior since 1938 and is under historic preservation.

Location/Hours: The Public Entrance to the U.S. Department of the Interior is at 18th & C Streets, NW. Handicap Access is available at 18th & E Streets. A photo ID is needed for access to the building. Open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and the third Saturday of each month from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.

For more information: e-mail us or phone (202) 208-4056.