Ohi:yo’ Art Market Returns to Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino in Salamanca
Ohi:yo’ Art Market Returns to Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino in Salamanca
Juried Indigenous art market showcases artists from across the U.S. and Canada with cultural demonstrations, awards, and interactive family experiences
This Saturday, May 16, all are welcome to experience an incredible variety of artwork created by Indigenous artists from across the United States and Canada at the 2nd Annual Ohi:yo’ Art Market. The juried art show is returning to the Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino event center (777 Seneca Allegany Blvd., Salamanca) from 10:00am-5:00pm on Saturday and features work from a dozen different categories. Meet the artists, ask questions, purchase a beautiful, one-of-a-kind piece, and experience this celebration of history and tradition in what is becoming one of the premier juried art markets in the Northeast.
Onöhsagwë:de’ Cultural Center Curator Kari Karsten, a member of the Seneca Nation Heron Clan, is looking forward to another year of this growing event. “We’re trying to create something that centers the artists,” she said. “We want people to be able to come into the space and hear from them directly - to hear their stories and learn about their nations and support Native artists in a meaningful way.” With participating artists and visitors coming from across the U.S. and Canada, the event reflects some of the larger art markets that are located out west, such as the Santa Fe Indian Market. Karsten pointed out, “We don’t have something like that here on the East Coast, so that’s really something we’re trying to model.”
Prospective artists were required to apply earlier this year to get accepted into the art market. “Those that were accepted are going to be judged,” Karsten explained. “When they drop off their artwork on Friday, they will have their awards announced that evening at our artists’ reception. Then the community members can come in on Saturday during the actual market and see the winners and go to the different artists’ booths, purchase artwork, talk to them, and see some of the cultural demonstrations.”
In addition to a $7,000 Best of Show award, the art market awards thousands of dollars in prizes in the following categories: basketry, beadwork/quillwork, cultural items, drawing, innovative arts, jewelry, paintings, photography (black and white), photography (color), pottery, sculpture, and weaving/textiles. The art market features more than 40 artist booths and a demonstration area where visitors can observe artists at work.
A family maker space is returning to the market this year! Families and children are invited for a day of cornhusk doll making and play throughout the day, which also includes storytelling, doll clothing activities, make-believe stations, mini arrow shooting game, and Onöndowa'ga:' Gawë:nö' game of chance! Karsten added that items from the museum’s cornhusk doll collections will be displayed in the family maker space area, so visitors can experience the collections while creating their own.
Karsten is especially looking forward to the work of quillwork artists, who use the quills of porcupines to embellish textiles. She said, “I think that’s more of a traditional work, but I think a lot of artists really take a contemporary approach to it, and it’s just exciting what people do with the modern framework that we have.”
The Ohi:yo’ Art Market is a special opportunity to understand how culture and tradition have been passed on and shared over generations. “With a lot of these arts, a lot of it is passed down through family lines,” Karsten explained. “This is something that is passed on as cultural knowledge, something we can’t really learn in the classroom and something that’s taught at home… Regardless of if somebody is new to Indigenous history or they’re non-Indigenous, we invite everyone to come and experience the art market and really get to interact with our community.” For more information about the art market, visit https://www.senecamuseum.org/ohiyo-art-market/.
Saturday is also a great day to visit the Onöhsagwë:de’ Cultural Center (located at 82 W. Hetzel St., Salamanca) to explore exhibitions that showcase Seneca Nation history, including an extensive collection of historical items and archaeology. The museum will be open from 9:00am-6:00pm on Saturday.
For those planning to make a full day or weekend out of the art market event, the Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino has many amenities and opportunities for fun. The art market event center is located near the buffet, and the casino is open 24/7. Rooms are available in the hotel connected to the casino, which includes a pool and other dining options. Karsten noted that beautiful artwork is displayed throughout the resort and even in the hotel rooms. Learn more at https://senecaalleganycasino.com/.