"The Peoria Riverfront Museum and the Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma celebrate the first major business transaction in generations between central Illinois and the Peoria Nation"
I saw an announcement from the Peoria Riverfront Museum yesterday about its collaboration with the Peoria tribe of Oklahoma. In a Facebook comment, John Morris, in response to a question about attending the press conference, suggested it be watched from home due to the limited space available.
This must be big, I thought. A major donation of decoys to their collection from the Peoria tribe. That absolutely would be something to celebrate.
Oh was I in for a surprise. They weren't donating collection pieces at all. They were donating ... display cases!
The cases were designed in collaboration with the tribe by the Peoria-based Farnsworth Group and Zach Zetterburg, curator of art, folk art and the Center for American Decoys at the museum.
Ummmm... ok.
Don't get me wrong, a collaboration between Peoria and the Peoria Tribe is a great thing, but it seems to me the Riverfront Museum is using them as a marketing tool more than anything else. Almost, dare I say, taking advantage of them?
Is this the beginning of a new relationship? I'll put on my optimistic cap for a moment and say yes, and the relationship will be continued and fostered through Preston Jackson and his sculpture that will replace Christopher Columbus.
I'll be down there tomorrow to check it out. I do have a membership after all, which, ironically, I mostly use to look at Preston Jackson's artwork.
"The Peoria Riverfront Museum and the Peoria Tribe of Indians o
