Seated Female Deity 

Curator: Before us stands a captivating example of ancient Indigenous-American sculpture, the "Seated Female Deity," housed right here at the Met. While the precise dating is not available, the carving provides invaluable insight into the spiritual life of the Americas. Editor: My immediate impression is one of enduring strength. There's a gravity, almost a grounded quality, that the artist has imbued into this figure through the use of that earthy red stone and the way she firmly holds the artifacts in both hands. Curator: Absolutely, and I think that's further compounded when considering potential intersectional readings around gender, power, and indigeneity. In this context, who holds authority, and what gives them access? I am further thinking about what ways the historical oppression of indigenous peoples manifests today and in what manner these visual representations can engage and inspire discussions on social justice and indigenous sovereignty. Editor: Precisely. Looking closely at the symbols, consider the possible ritual or ceremonial associations suggested by the items she holds. Do they relate to cycles of life, agricultural prosperity, or perhaps feminine power, linked, perhaps, to an ancient earth-mother archetype? I sense a very specific visual language at play here. Curator: Considering this work within its broader social and political setting could further give some insight. For example, understanding the impact of colonization may have had on these objects could provide critical lenses through which the symbols or images depicted can be investigated and give us the understanding required to appreciate them from that period of artistic and cultural output. Editor: Exactly. Every carving, every line seems deliberate, pregnant with symbolic meaning and reflective of her time. One can imagine her placement, purpose, perhaps in a temple, imbued with the hopes and prayers of her community. Curator: And her potential function – was she involved in ensuring fertility, agricultural success, the health and wealth of her people? How does her representation, her stillness yet apparent strength, work to reinforce specific cultural values or ideologies? Editor: Indeed. This "Seated Female Deity" speaks volumes, revealing echoes of a complex past that continue to resonate. Thank you. Curator: It truly showcases the power of Indigenous art to communicate complex narratives.