CORNING, NY .- The Rockwell Museum is proud to announce the appointment of Abby Mikalauskas as the first recipient of the Mary Spurrier Fellowship in Native American Art. Mikalauskas will join the Museum’s Curatorial Department in September 2025, working closely with Curator of Collections and Exhibitions Amanda Lett. Her focus will be to conduct original research on the Museum’s Native American art collection, including objects of material culture, a cornerstone of The Rockwell’s collection since its founding.

“As The Rockwell Museum continues to expand its holdings in both historic and contemporary Native American art, it is imperative that we deepen the scholarship and care of these works as we strengthen collaborations with Native communities,” said Erin M. Coe, Executive Director of The Rockwell Museum. “This fellowship ensures that young scholars interested in Native American art, like Abby, can contribute critical research to enhance our understanding of these objects, add context to the contemporary works they are often paired with, and strengthen the integrity of how we interpret and present them to the public,” added Coe.

The twelve-week fellowship was established to support scholarship and professional development in the museum field, while enhancing the care, documentation, and interpretation of the Museum’s Native American collection. Mikalauskas will research and compile culturally specific information on a range of objects, including pottery, textiles, baskets, beadwork, and Kachinas, originating primarily from Northern Plains, Pueblo, and Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) tribal nations.

Her work will contribute to the Museum’s ongoing cataloguing and digitization project, ensuring that these historic works are accurately documented and made more accessible to the public and Native communities. The research will also inform a planned reinstallation of The Rockwell’s Native American galleries and support compliance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA).

Mikalauskas recently completed a M.A. in Art History at the University of Oklahoma, where her scholarship and lectures focused on Indigenous arts of the Americas, cultural survivance, and the effects of settler colonialism on artistic practice. Her thesis, “Community, (Settler)Colonial Collecting & Commercialization: Patkáša Kšúpi Wòtawe as a Case Study for Interpreting (Dis)Possessed Indigenous Belongings,” demonstrates her commitment to advancing critical dialogue around the interpretation and stewardship of Native cultural heritage. She holds a B.A. in Art History and Anthropology and a B.S. in French & Francophone Studies from the Pennsylvania State University (2023).

This fellowship is made possible with support from Mary Spurrier, a philanthropist from Rochester, NY whose generous gift established the new fellowship position. “I am excited to support this fellowship that helps share a truer, more authentic story of the creative contributions of a too often misrepresented community,” said Spurrier.

The Rockwell Museum’s Native American collection, which includes more than 470 objects gifted by Robert and Hertha Rockwell in 1976, has grown steadily over the decades with acquisitions of contemporary Native art, ensuring both historic and living traditions are represented. The Mary Spurrier Fellowship reflects the Museum’s commitment to deepening research, collaborating with Native communities, and advancing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of its work.