On September 3, The Bell opens ojo|-|ólǫ́, a major solo exhibition by Diné artist Eric-Paul Riege (b. 1994, Na’nízhoozhí [Gallup, New Mexico]) that brings together his textile, sculpture, sound, video, and performance practices. A trained weaver, Riege incorporates customary Diné practices into his production of monumental soft sculptures and weavings that reference Diné mythology, the history of settler trading posts inside and adjacent to the Navajo Nation, and the notion of “authenticity” as a value marker of Indigenous art and craft. Made from synthetic and natural materials sourced from traditional and hyperreal sources, these artworks invite viewers’ touch and play as much as they evoke challenging conversations about Indigenous sovereignty, the global art market, and the role of educational institutions in both disseminating and dispossessing knowledge about Indigenous art and cultures.

In July 2025, we welcomed 15 High School students for a week of learning, reflection, and community-building focused on the often-untold histories of Black and Indigenous peoples in New England. Brown’s Simmons Center, NAISI, and the Tomaquag Museum led courses on the 13th Amendment and The War for the Dawnland, with guest speakers and space to reflect on these important stories.

In a Commencement celebration on the College Green, graduates Nkéke Harris and Aliza Kopans addressed their peers, family members and friends, offering advice as they forge into the future.