Roberts Projects is pleased to present Bíikkua (The Hide Scraper), an exhibition of Wendy Red Star's ongoing series exploring the social and material history of bishkisché. This Apsáalooke term is used to describe heirloom rawhide cases fabricated and decorated by the women of indigenous tribes throughout North America, translating to "backpack for dogs to carry meat or grain." Historically referred to as parfleche—a French phrase introduced during the colonial fur trade—in Western European scholarship, Red Star intends to use this series to restore the creative lineage and language of her Apsáalooke ancestry. A functional object used for transporting goods and possessions on horse across the Great Plains, each bishkisché features two painted panels with a mirrored pattern—a unique visual symbology invented by their maker. Growing up on the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana, Red Star recalls her grandmother with a creative project always in hand—perpetually sewing, beading, and drawing. While her matrilineal ancestors may not have described themselves as artists, they had robust artistic practices and established the aesthetic vocabulary of their tribal community—envisioning vibrant, geometric designs comprised of intersecting triangles, zig-zagging lines, and lean sequenced rectangles rendered in rich primary- toned pigments.

The designs found on these utilitarian cases are representative of both Apsáalooke and Plateau aesthetics. While each tribe has its own distinct style, there are similarities between their handiwork as a result of their shared history of craftsmanship and trade. Red Star's project aims to acknowledge and explore how the material cultures of these tribes became intertwined over the course of time, while highlighting the unique artistic tradition of each. By researching and documenting existing bishkisché from various sources, she creates painted studies that serve as a new art historical record. In doing so, Red Star honors the rich legacy of both Apsáalooke and Plateau women who contributed to this tradition.

Press release courtesy Roberts Projects.