Carrying Tradition: Basketry of the Columbia Plateau
July 11, 2026 - May 30, 2027
Carrying Tradition: Basketry of the Columbia Plateau invites visitors into the living practice of Columbia Plateau basket weaving, where generations of knowledge, artistry, and cultural identity are carried forward through every woven strand. Featuring historic and contemporary baskets drawn from the MAC's collection alongside recent gifts from acclaimed Pendleton, OR weaver Joey Lavadour, the exhibition explores how weaving has long been interwoven with daily life, serving practical purposes while also expressing relationships with family, community, and the natural world. Created for gathering, preparing, storing, and carrying, these baskets embody deep knowledge of local plants, seasonal cycles, design, and craftsmanship.
Rather than presenting basket weaving as a tradition of the past, the exhibition reveals it as a vibrant cultural practice that continues to evolve today. Visitors encounter works spanning multiple generations, including Lavadour's innovative contemporary baskets, whose bold use of color and distinctive weaving techniques demonstrate how tradition and creativity exist hand in hand. Throughout the gallery, historic baskets stand alongside modern works, illustrating that each generation builds upon the knowledge of those who came before while contributing its own voice to an enduring artistic legacy.
At its heart, Carrying Tradition is about continuity—how culture is sustained through hands, families, and the land itself. The exhibition highlights the care required to gather natural materials responsibly, the patience and skill needed to transform them into enduring works, and the importance of passing these practices from one generation to the next. Through baskets that carry food, knowledge, and responsibility, visitors gain a deeper appreciation for the enduring relationships between people, place, and tradition, discovering basket weaving as a living expression of stewardship, resilience, and care for the future.