About the Project

Big Horn Mountains Mural — Apsáalooke Women and Warriors Exhibition

The Field Museum’s Apsáalooke Women and Warriors exhibition explores the history, artistry, and living traditions of the Apsáalooke (Crow) people. One of the curatorial goals was to create a powerful visual connection to the Apsáalooke homeland—specifically, the Big Horn Mountains, a site of deep cultural and spiritual importance. The challenge was to evoke the landscape’s presence within the gallery in a way that felt both immersive and respectful of its meaning.

To authentically represent the landscape, I traveled to Montana to capture a panoramic photograph of the Big Horn Mountains. The image aimed to convey the vastness and beauty of this sacred place, reflecting its enduring importance to the Apsáalooke people. The exhibition design team then transformed my photograph into a large-scale wall mural, integrating it into the gallery’s visual narrative. Together, the photograph and mural provided a natural and cultural context for the stories and objects on display.

The resulting mural became a visual centerpiece of the exhibition, immersing visitors in the landscape that holds profound significance for the Apsáalooke people. It offered a powerful sense of place—inviting audiences to not just view the history and artistry of the tribe, but to feel connected to the land that continues to shape their identity and traditions.