Jordan Ann Craig. Sharp Tongue; Used to Cut Deep, 2024. Acrylic on canvas. Courtesy of the Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art, Northwestern University. Julie and Lawrence Bernstein family Art Acquisition Fund purchase.

it takes a long time to stay here: Paintings by Jordan Ann Craig

Logo for The Block Museum

it takes a long time to stay here is artist Jordan Ann Craig’s (Northern Cheyenne) largest institutional exhibition to date. Her large-scale abstract paintings reflect her engagement with Indigenous, especially NorthernCheyenne, aesthetic traditions and her dynamic and innovative exploration of color, line, and geometric form. Craig’s practice often begins with research in museum collections and archives—studying, learning from, and engaging in a dialogue with traditional Indigenous artistic forms, such as beadwork, pottery, and textiles. She also draws inspiration from the landscape of what is now the Southwestern United States, where she lives and works.

The exhibition’s title, it takes a long time to stay here, comes from the poem “spinning air” by m.s. RedCherries (Northern Cheyenne), and evokes ideas of grounding and reflection. The exhibition invites a deep exploration of the seven paintings, shown together for the first time, highlighting the introspective quality of Craig’s work. As one spends extended time with each painting, its meaning is shaped by the interplay of Craig’s enigmatic and playful titles, her intricate compositions, and the perspectives of each viewer.