Latent Emissions, Chakaia Booker
Father Lindesmith Collection: History Into Art and Anthropology
Download PDF
by Joanne Mack, Emerita, Curator of Native American Art
Father Eli Washington John Lindesmith served as Catholic chaplain at Fort Keogh, Montana Territory, where he interacted daily with infantry, cavalry, and Native American scouts— primarily Cheyenne. Over time, he amassed a collection of varied cultural materials with the intent to enlighten the public about the American West and its significance to US history. Outstanding aspects of Lindesmith’s collection are beadwork produced by the wives and sisters of Cheyenne scouts who, with their families, lived at the fort, as well as his documentation of each acquisition.
Curator Emerita of Native American Art, Snite Museum of Art and Professor Emerita of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Joanne Mack organized the exhibition and is the lead author of its catalog.