Upcoming Exhibitions at MAM

Women’s Work: Soft Sculpture by Lela Autio, Dana Boussard, and Nancy Erickson

Jan 21- May 22, 2025

In 1973, Lela Autio, Dana Boussard, and Nancy Erickson proposed an exhibition of their soft sculpture at the University of Montana, and were denied because it was considered “women’s work.” Unbothered, they pivoted and held the exhibition in the empty Carnegie Library in 1974, paving the way for the founding of the Art Museum of Missoula in 1975.

Miriam Sample (1920-2008), who provided funds for the purchase of Lela Autio’s work, was an incredible philanthropist. She said, "I think that people who consider themselves members of a community have an obligation to that community, and that obligation can best be discharged by involvement." When she re-married and moved to Montana in 1965, she quickly became involved in the community. She was appointed a member of the Montana Arts Council and served on the board of the Yellowstone Art Museum for years. In 1985, she began purchasing Montana artists for institutional collections, a project that spanned two decades and placed more than 400 pieces of artwork from well-known Montana artists into museum collections.

Contemporary American Indian Art Collection

February 2025-July 2025

The Missoula Art Museum is proud to showcase the Contemporary American Indian Art Collection (CAIAC)—the largest collection of contemporary American Indian art in Montana and the largest holding of Jaune Quick-to-See Smith’s work of any museum. With nearly 250 works by nationally recognized Indigenous artists, the CAIAC represents a vital and growing part of MAM’s mission to amplify Native voices in contemporary art.

Jason Elliot Clark, Free Land

February 18-June 14, First Friday April 4

Jason Clark's connection to Missoula began during his graduate studies at the University of Montana, where he earned an MFA in printmaking in 2004. After teaching and managing print studios in Louisiana and Minnesota, he returned to Missoula in 2012 and now serves as an adjunct professor and 2D/3D technician at UM's School of Visual and Media Arts. A two-time guest artist at MATRIX Press, Clark combines technical mastery with a profound exploration of identity and cultural history in his art.

Drawing from his family’s Algonquin heritage and personal experiences, Clark’s work challenges stereotypes of Native culture, blending personal narratives with traditional legends. His large-scale installation, Free Land, exemplifies his expertise in monotype, using stencils, ghost prints, and vibrant color fades to examine the erosion of Indigenous lands through legislation such as the Homestead and Dawes Acts. Featuring 160 prints of species impacted by land development, Free Land critiques historical injustices while envisioning a restored, thriving ecosystem.

Brian Maguire, No One is Forgotten

June-September, First Friday June 6

The Missoula Art Museum (MAM) is honored to present History of America, an exhibition by acclaimed artist Brian Maguire, on view from June through September 2025. This powerful exhibition sheds light on the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR) in Montana, a harrowing epidemic deeply rooted in the history and territory of Indian Country.

Maguire, an Irish artist known for tackling pressing global issues, has been working on this series since 2020. His work examines the theme of territorialization, a thread that connects his broader body of work, which includes projects on migrant deaths in the Mediterranean and Sonoran Desert, femicides in Juárez, Mexico, the civil war in Aleppo, Syria, and Indigenous rights in the Brazilian Amazon. Each series highlights the human impact of borders and territorial disputes, making his exploration of MMIR a natural extension of his practice.

History of America aims to bring greater awareness to the MMIR epidemic while encouraging institutional action and community dialogue.

MAM invites you to a special reception for Brian Maguire in May 2025 to celebrate his extraordinary work and its vital message. Stay tuned for more details as we prepare to welcome this significant exhibition.

Alaina Buffalo Spirit, Through a Cheyenne Woman's Eyes

July 1-September 28, First Friday August 1

The Missoula Art Museum is proud to present the work of Alaina Buffalo Spirit, a senior member of the So’taa’ee band of the Northern Cheyenne Nation and a nationally acclaimed artist. Alaina brings her unique perspective to life through the tradition of ledger art, reimagined with modern techniques on canvas.