Exhibitions
Sky Hopinka: A Visual Journey to the Roots of Indigenous Identity at the Guggenheim
The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is preparing to welcome the final months of 2025 with one of its major openings: the exhibition Sky Hopinka. Fainting , which will be on view from September 18, 2025, to January 18, 2026. Sky Hopinka, an Indigenous American filmmaker and visual artist, belongs to the Ho-Chunk tribe and the Pequot community. Born in 1984, he is recognized for his cinematographic works that address themes linked to the culture, language, and experiences of Native American communities. His work delves into the collective memory and personal experiences of these communities, with a particular focus on the preservation and revival of their languages and traditions.
Sky Hopinka delves into the depths of Indigenous culture, history, and ancestral beliefs, weaving a reflection on identity, memory, language, and myth into her works. Through her gaze, each image becomes an echo of voices that have endured throughout time, a dance between what was lost and what was recovered, where language stands as a bridge between generations and myth merges with reality. Her art not only tells stories but revives them, shaping a living memory intertwined with the land and spirit of Native communities.
In Desmayos (2018), curated by Geaninne Gutiérrez-Guimarães, Hopinka delves into the legend of Xąwįska, the Indian pipe plant, also known as the "ghost flower" or "corpse plant." This sacred plant, used by the Ho-Chunk people to revive those who fainted, is much more than a medicinal plant: it stands as a profound symbol of identity, knowledge, and Indigenous cultures. Its meaning traverses the eternal cycles of life and death, connecting those who contemplate it to the vast spiritual world. Although Hopinka conducted extensive research, he was unable to find a myth that explains the origins of Xąwįska, which prompted him to create his own story. In doing so, he contributed to the perpetuation of the ancestral practice of mythmaking and preservation within his own community, keeping alive the oral tradition and the power of Indigenous storytelling.
Her unique visual style is characterized by poetic, fragmented images that invite reflection on the relationship between language, land, and history. Her works often explore how the experiences of Indigenous cultures are transmitted through language, myths, and rituals.
In October, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao will open its doors to Maria Helena Vieira da Silva's highly anticipated exhibition, Anatomy of Space , a project that explores the complexity and depth of her pictorial universe. In November, Marc Leckey will take center stage, immersing visitors in his innovative artistic approach. To close out the year, the museum will present Arts of the Earth , an exhibition that will offer a new interpretation of contemporary art with an environmental focus, bringing into dialogue the last decades of creativity committed to nature and the environment.
