Since its opening in October 2007, the Byers-Evans House Gallery, 1310 Bannock St., has presented an impressively varied series of exhibitions focusing on everything from Laura Gilpin’s photos to Denver’s little-known Beat scene.
The compact space’s latest offering veers off in yet another direction, taking a look at a little-known chapter in the history of Navajo weaving.
When the Navajo returned in 1868 to a reservation on their homelands after a four- year imprisonment, their sheep herds were decimated, endangering their textile production. The U.S. government stepped in, replacing the natural yarns the Navajo had traditionally used with commercially produced ones from Germantown, Pa.
Although the weavers would return to their traditional wool fibers in the 20th century, the consistency and texture of the machine-made yarns stretched their artistry and left a lasting mark.
The show, curated by Jack Lima, owner of Denver’s Native American Trading Co., features 10 Germantown weavings, including a spectacular one that is 14 feet square. The offering runs through Oct. 31.
Free. 303-620-4933 or
Kyle MacMillan
