Spirit of the West

THE FOUNDING CURATOR FILLED THE BLANK CANVAS OF SCOTTS DALE'S MUSEUM OF THE WEST.

- PETER CORBETT

Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West is making its mark among museums celebrating the American West.

The museum's exhibit "Light and Legacy: The Art and Technique of Edward S. Curtis" is an example of its prowess in staging important shows developed since its opening seven years ago.

Curtis was a late 19th-century and early 20th-century photographer and ethnographer who captured images of indigenous tribes to document their cultures at a time when he feared they were a vanishing race.

Western Spirit has the largest Curtis exhibit ever, said Tricia Loscher, assistant museum director of collections, exhibitions, and research.

In a museum tour, Loscher explained the challenges Curtis faced to connect with tribal leaders.

"There had to be something about him to allow his acceptance into the cultures the way he was accepted, the curator said. "To come in and photograph these portraits, he couldn't have just waltzed in and started clicking, clicking."

The Curtis exhibit, which runs through April 30, shows how far the museum has come since 2015 under the leadership of Loscher, Executive Director Mike Fox, and Board Chairman Jim Bruner.

Bruner is now chairman emeritus after stepping down earlier this year, and Fox has taken on a new role as advancement advisor. William Ridenour is the new board chairman, and James Burns is the executive director.