Poster House in New York City is showing a new exhibition that puts Indigenous designers front and center. “Designed to Be Red: Native American & Indigenous Poster Works” is on view now through February 21, 2027. The show comes from Brian Johnson, a designer from the Monacan Indian Nation, who was asked to curate it after giving a lecture at the museum in November 2022.
Johnson’s lecture, titled “Posters That Sing: Notes on Indigenous Poster Design,” led directly to the commission. The exhibition is the result of years of work since then, and it covers more than 100 years of visual history. Johnson has also written an expanded companion book, “Designed to Be Red: Native American & Indigenous Graphic Works,” which is available at the museum’s shop.
Johnson’s Mission
The exhibition grew out of a question Johnson hears often from young Indigenous designers. “Native students and friends ask me, ‘Where are our books? What works should drive and inspire my practice?'” he said. “This exhibition is my answer.”
The show challenges colonialist narratives about design. It shows that Indigenous perspectives have always been central to the field. Whether making psychedelic posters, protest art, or public service announcements, Native designers have shaped how we see the world. The exhibition also makes a case for Indigenous joy, creative sovereignty, and ongoing influence into the present.
Five Sections, One Message
The exhibition is organized into five sections:
- “Indigenous Joy”
- “Creative Sovereignty”
- “Resistance and Protest”
- “It’s Complicated”
- “Extractive Marketing”
Each section tells a different part of the story. “Indigenous Joy” celebrates exuberant design. “Creative Sovereignty” shows the strength of Indigenous identity. “Resistance and Protest” documents activism around issues like the Dakota Access Pipeline and murdered and missing Indigenous women. “It’s Complicated” deals with the mixed legacy of Indigenous representation in popular culture. “Extractive Marketing” looks at how Native imagery has been used commercially.
What the Show Displays
The exhibition features a stretched animal hide inscribed with the Proclamation for the Indian Occupation of Alcatraz. There are posters from the protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline. There are works raising awareness for murdered and missing Indigenous women. Other posters celebrate Indigenous joy, including a 1990s census campaign and an Indigenous tribute to the Marvel cinematic universe.
Johnson’s curation shows that Native life is not defined by struggle. The show presents a full picture of contemporary Native American life, warts and all.
The Extractive Marketing Section
The “Extractive Marketing” section is cordoned off from the rest of the exhibition. Viewers are intentionally redirected back to “Indigenous Joy” after viewing it. Inside, the section displays some of the most mainstream — and most problematic — posters in the collection.
One poster uses a still from the infamous 1971 “crying Indian” TV ad. The section is designed to make viewers consider how Native imagery has been used in marketing and media.
Key Figures in the Show
The exhibition features work by several notable artists:
| Artist | Background |
|---|---|
| Kent Monkman | Fish River Cree Nation |
| Jeffrey Gibson | Mississippi Choctaw/Cherokee |
| SIYO-WIN | Dakota Sioux/Mexican |
These artists represent different generations and styles. Their work appears across the sections, showing how Indigenous design has evolved over time.
Why the Show Matters
Johnson’s approach is deliberately modern. He wants the exhibition to stand apart from the way larger institutions display Indigenous works. “The past tense is a weapon deployed to consign us to museum dioramas,” he said.
The show is rigorous in its presentation. It treats Indigenous designers as current practitioners. That difference is the point. The exhibition is not about preserving a memory; it is about documenting a living practice.
The Book and How to See It
The companion book, “Designed to Be Red: Native American & Indigenous Graphic Works,” is available at the museum’s shop. It expands on the themes of the exhibition, offering more context for the posters on display.
The book is a direct response to the question Johnson hears from students. It provides the reading material that Native designers have been asking for.
The exhibition is on view at Poster House in New York City through February 2027. Visitors can learn more at posterhouse.org.
The show is a record of contemporary Native American life. It is also a corrective to the ways Indigenous people have been represented in design history. Johnson’s exhibition makes a simple argument: Native Americans are still here. We are designing.
The exhibition is a reminder that Indigenous perspectives have always been central to design. It shows that Indigenous designers have been influencing how we see the world for decades, and it continues to do so today.
Source material: “New Poster Exhibition Showcases the Importance and Impact of Indigenous Designers,” Hyperallergic.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.