Free exhibition examining the relationship between Indigenous peoples and the Mississippi River, with a rematriation focus and a Native vendor fair at its opening festival.
Merciless: Indigenous Lands Since 1776 is on view at the Weisman Art Museum from September 26, 2026, through May 16, 2027. The exhibition takes its title from the section of the Declaration of Independence that refers to "merciless Indian Savages," and it reframes that dehumanizing description as a commemoration of Indigenous resistance and futurity. It looks at the enduring relationship between the original peoples and the Mississippi River in Bde Óta Othúŋwe, the Dakota name for Minneapolis, and it's built around rematriation—the women-led process of restoring Indigenous relationships to land, language, water, and spiritual responsibility.
Kendra Greendeer, a Ho-Chunk Nation scholar, curated the show, and it marks her first at the Weisman. The project is supported by the KHR McNeely Family Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, The University of Minnesota Imagine Fund, and the Minnesota State Arts Board. Three of the artists' monuments will remain permanently outside the museum, across from the river, so the work extends beyond the gallery walls.
Every week we pick 🏆 the 5 best 🏆 things to do in Minneapolis and send them to your inbox. Just one weekly email, no spam.
By submitting your email, you accept our Privacy Policy
There's an opening festival on Saturday, September 26, from 10 AM to 5 PM, which turns the exhibition into a communal gathering with a Native vendor fair, live music, artist demonstrations, and tours. After that, the show stays up through mid-May, so you've got plenty of time to catch it if you can't make the opening day. The Weisman is at 333 E River Road, and admission is free and open to the public.
