In 2024, the Heard Museum received a landmark gift of the Jerry Jacka archive, which makes us stewards of one of the largest and most consequential collections of documentary photography of Native American artists in the Nation. The Heard presents Storyteller: The Photography of Jerry Jacka, an original exhibition that features Jacka’s portraits of iconic American Indian artists paired with examples of their artwork from the museum’s collection.
Experience images of artists, primarily from the American Southwest, engaged in a range of activities related to traditional cultural practices including weaving, pottery, kachina-carving, and jewelry making. The exhibition also features images from his award-winning contributions to Arizona Highways Magazine. Jerry Jacka’s award-winning photography has profoundly influenced how generations of people think and feel about the people and landscapes of the American Southwest.