Henry Payer: Appliqué sur le terrain

In the installation Appliqué sur le terrain, Henry Payer views the cultural landscape of present-day Nebraska through the vibrant lens of Indigenous ribbonwork appliqué. This artform involves sewing layers of silk ribbons, cotton, wool, and glass beads to make regalia for special occasions. The distinctive symmetrical patterns reflect kinship, ecological knowledge, and oral histories of various Indigenous communities.

Inspired by The Joslyn’s collection of Karl Bodmer watercolors, Payer created eight appliqué collages that layer Missouri River landscapes, calico fabric, and texts about the colonization of the region. He hand-stitched the designs in the Ho-Chunk appliqué style, called zeenįba hirarucak. Each floral and geometric pattern references historical examples created by Umónhon, Ponca, Ho-Chunk, Pawnee, Ioway, and Otoe-Missouria women, honoring the legacy of artists whose names were not documented. As part of this collaborative project, contemporary artists have generously shared their appliqué stories and regalia.

Pictured: Henry Payer (Ho-Chunk, b. 1986), Omaha, Bellevue Agency, Post of Major Dougherty (After Ancestor Artist), from the series Appliqué sur le terrain, 2024, calico, digital print on polyester fabric, and thread, 36 × 48 in. (91.4 × 121.9 cm), © Henry Payer, Courtesy the artist