The Gorman Museum of Native American Art at UC Davis has launched a new exhibition featuring photographic and multimedia works by award-winning artist Shelley Niro. The show, which opened on January 28, 2026, will run through August 30, 2026, highlighting Indigenous women's stories through diverse media.
Shelley Niro, a member of the Kanyen’kehaka (Mohawk) Nation, is renowned for her explorations of traditional narratives and matriarchal culture. Exhibition organizers note that she "is widely known for her ability to explore traditional stories, transgress boundaries and embody the ethos of her matriarchal culture." Niro employs photography, installation, film, and painting to increase visibility for Indigenous women and girls.
The exhibition coincides with a vibrant week of arts events at UC Davis. On the same day as the opening, January 28, visitors could attend a noon concert by the Brightwork Ensemble in the Recital Hall of the Ann E. Pitzer Center. This free performance featured contemporary pieces such as Ania Vu's Five in One, Akshaya Tucker's Breathing Sunlight, and movements from works by Andy Akiho, Karlo Margetić, Reena Esmail, and Takuma Itoh. The ensemble, a Los Angeles-based sextet including flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, and percussion, champions modern chamber music.
The following day, January 30, Brightwork presented premieres by UC Davis graduate student composers Joseph Martin, Bryndan Moondy, Peter Chatterjee, Paul Engle, and Dean Kervin Boursiquot in a free evening concert at 5 p.m. in the Pitzer Center's Recital Hall.
Other highlights include a fiction reading by author Jemimah Wei on January 29 at 4:30 p.m. in Shields Library, and a performance by the Malpaso Dance Company on January 31 at 7:30 p.m. in the Mondavi Center's Jackson Hall, featuring works like Aszure Barton's Indomitable Waltz and Ohad Naharin's Tabula Rasa. A winter celebration at the Manetti Shrem Museum of Art on February 1 includes a conversation with artist Sahar Khoury at 3 p.m., marking the launch of exhibitions Sahar Khoury: Weights & Measures and Backstory: Digitizing the Museum. All museum admissions and talks are free.
These events underscore UC Davis's commitment to diverse artistic expressions, with many accessible at no cost.
