The Grand Portage National Monument in partnership with the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa announces the Ojibwe Heritage Murals project. The project commemorates the people of Grand Portage, Ojibwe handicrafts at Grand Portage, and Gichi Onigamiing, the great carrying place.
One artist will be chosen to create two murals, 6 by 18 feet, for permanent exhibition in the Heritage Center’s Cultural Demonstration Gallery at Grand Portage National Monument.
The murals will be installed overlooking the Ojibwe Heritage Room on the second floor of the Heritage Center.
Pam Neil, chief of interpretation at the national monument, is excited to see the project under way. “The new exhibit will be a welcome addition to the Ojibwe Heritage Room, which was envisioned from the very beginning as a unique space to honor the home place, traditions and talents of the Grand Portage people.”
This is a cooperative project between the Grand Portage National Monument and the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. The national monument and the Grand Portage Band have successfully partnered on over 100 projects. The Heritage Center, which overlooks Grand Portage Bay on Lake Superior, was opened in 2007 and sees nearly 100,000 visitors annually.
The call is open to all artists. Preference will be given to Minnesota Chippewa Tribe and Grand Portage Band members. Artist’s proposals must be received by Jan. 31, 2014.
The Grand Portage National Monument lies entirely within the Grand Portage Reservation. The national monument interprets the heritage and lifeways of Ojibwe people, the use of the historic Grand Portage trail, and cross-cultural encounters between native and Euro- American people made possible by the fur trade.
For more information or to obtain an artist packet, visit www.nps.gov/grpo, or contact project coordinator Beth Drost at elizabeth_drost@nps.gov or 218-475-0123.
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