G. Peter Jemison

G. Peter Jemison, of the Heron Clan from the Cattaraugus Territory, Seneca Nation, is a multi-media artist and recently retired site manager of Ganondagan, a New York State Historic Park in Victor, New York. His artwork has been shown internationally and his writings have been widely published.  Ansley's Fish (1983) represents the traditional, sustainable Native American approach to agriculture.  A fish, wedge of watermelon, and strawberries represent the elements of harvest to be enjoyed; while the handmade Kraft paper bag resembling a mass-produced grocery bag serves as a reminder that our crops originate from the earth, which should be respected. Peacemaker's Journey (2020) might be interpreted as a symbolic reflection on his life. 

Mr. Jemison is very active politically as an advocate for Native American rights. He was chairman of the Haudenosaunee standing committee on burial rules and regulations, fighting for the return of sacred objects to native peoples mandated by the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. He has been a spokesperson on related topics, and has participated in numerous symposia, including an early panel discussion held at the Center in the 1980s. Jemison was one of the founders of the Museum of the American Indian in New York City. His book, The Treaty of Canandaigua 1794 has been favorably received as an important contribution to history. In 2001, he was guest curator and wrote a catalog essay for The Pan-American Exposition Centennial: Images of the American Indian held at the Burchfield-Penney Art Center. The exhibition featured contemporary artists whose work explored identity, as opposed to how indigenous people were misrepresented 100 years earlier. In 2021, K Art in Buffalo presented a survey of his work in the solo exhibition, Orenda: Works by G. Peter Jemison with an accompanying illustrated catalogue.