General Preservation Assessment of the MAM's Native American collection

FAIN: PG-263565-19

Montclair Art Museum (Montclair, NJ 07042-1582)
Osanna Urbay (Project Director: May 2018 to November 2022)

The hiring of a consultant to undertake a general preservation assessment of the museum’s 4,000 Native American art objects and to develop a long-term plan for the care of the collection.  This is one of the most significant collections of Native American art in the mid-Atlantic region and represents cultures from across the United States.  Included are ceramics, basketry, jewelry, textiles, ceremonial objects, tools, and musical instruments and works by leading contemporary artists, such as Dan Namingha (Hopi), Allan Houser (Apache), Tony Abeyta (Navajo), Virgil Ortiz (Cochiti Pueblo), and Marie Watt (Seneca).  The museum and community art center serve a broad audience of students, faculty, the public, and tribal members, in addition to partnering with Montclair State University and local K-12 educators.

With goals to improve the Museum’s capacity to preserve it’s collection of Native American art and artifacts and make them accessible for future generations, the Montclair Art Museum (MAM) respectfully requests a Preservation Assistance Grant from the NEH to hire a preservation specialist to conduct a general preservation assessment of the Native American collection and draft a long-range plan for its care and sustainability.