Super Heroes: Art! Action! Adventure!

What if…

• SUPERMAN HAD A RELATIVE WHO WAS CHEROKEE?
• THERE WAS A SUPER HERO WHO LIVED AT THE LEANING OAKS RESERVATION?
• IN ADDITION TO WONDER WOMAN, THERE WAS PUEBLO GIRL?
• A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT COULD TRANSFORM INTO A POWERFUL ANIMAL WHO FOUGHT AN EVIL CREATURE WHO HAD STALKED HIS COMMUNITY SINCE ANCIENT TIMES?
• A REAL SUPERHERO FROM 1680 WAS NEEDED AGAIN IN 2180?
• SOME CLEVER ANIMALS COULD GUIDE YOU THROUGH THE ARCTIC, OR TALK, OR COULD GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL?

And…WHAT IF YOU COULD HELP THEM AS THEY BATTLE VILLAINS AND MEET DANGER?

In the exhibit, kids will be able to become their own super hero. They will choose their super power and create their super hero costume. They will then embark on exciting adventures, including an animal companion interactive experience, a Native video game and other adventures along their “super” journey.

“Our overall wish for this summer experience is to create a place where children and adults can talk together about what makes a superhero, meet some familiar and some new superheroes, and think about how people can find the superhero in themselves,” says Dr. Ann Marshall, director of curation and education at the Heard. “Many American Indian artists are making art associated with superheroes, which provided the inspiration for the Super Heroes exhibit.”

Background

Tales of super heroes inspire people to bravery and spark the imagination of both children and adults. Super heroes may be animals, humans or magical beings who speak, transform and use their special powers to fight evil and help others.

Many American Indian legends feature animal heroes of great power who teach life lessons. During the last few decades, some of these classic super heroes have inspired American Indian artists and graphic novelists to create new Native super heroes who confront evil and defend good in their communities.

Artists and graphic novelists also celebrate people who have overcome daunting problems, who are strong in amazing ways and who fight for their beliefs. They, too, deserve the title “super hero.”

Recommended Reading

Download a bibliography on real and comic book super heroes compiled for your summer reading available from the Billie Jane Bagulely Library and/or Books & More, part of the Heard Museum Shop. Visitors are welcome during the library’s regular hours, 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, to view these or other items of interest in the library and archives collections. Books & More is open Monday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Download a PDF of the Recommended Reading List