This landmark publication brings Indigenous art to the fore with the presentation of 280 objects from the Nelson-Atkins Museum's rich collection. More than two-thirds of the volume's featured masterworks-paintings, sculptures, drawings, regalia, ceramics, textiles, and baskets-have never before appeared in publication. Created by both known and unknown makers, these singular and profound aesthetic achievements represent the traditions of communities across the US and Canada in a continuum of visual expression from pre-encounter to the present.

Curator Gaylord Torrence traces the evolution of the Nelson-Atkins holdings, which have expanded significantly since 2002. Fundamental concepts for understanding Native art as well as an overview of traditions from across the United States and Canada guide readers through the illustrations. Director Emeritur and Founding Director of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian W. Richard West Jr. (Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma) contributes a compelling essay on the meanings of Native art. A final essay brings forward the voices of twenty-two of the contemporary artists represented in the collection.