As the Heard Museum moves toward its centennial year, this is the first in a series of exhibitions that celebrate major gifts. Milestones: The Hope and John L. Furth Collection at the Heard Museum includes carefully selected pottery, sculpture, textiles, baskets, and beadwork from a collection of more than 260 examples. Each work reflects some of the best Native American creative traditions from the 19th century to the present day with significant works by leading contemporary artists.
Hope and John Furth began collecting Native arts in 1995 when they moved to Carefree, Arizona. Their home near the Boulders Resort was seamlessly integrated into the distinctive landscape of the Sonoran Desert. As they collected American Indian art, they created a space that uniquely integrated art, architecture, and nature. The Heard Museum is grateful for this significant donation and many others that have shaped the permanent collection.
Featured artworks (in order of appearance):
Kevin Aspaas (Diné), Wedge Weave (detail), 2017. Handspun and hand-dyed wool, 59 1/4 x 48 3/4. Collection of Hope and John L. Furth. Heard Museum Collection, Phoenix, Arizona.
Sǫhahiyǫh/Richard Zane Smith (Wyandot), The Human Being as a Target, 1994. Ceramic, 10 1/2 x 17 x 17 in. Collection of Hope and John L. Furth. Heard Museum Collection, Phoenix, Arizona.
Artist Once Known (Sioux), Pictorial vest (back), 1890s. Hide, glass beads, sinew; commercial cotton lining sewn with cotton thread, 22 x 20 in. Collection of Hope and John L. Furth. Heard Museum Collection, Phoenix, Arizona.
