Kachina dolls, or tithu, are carved from cottonwood and given by the Katsinam to Hopi girls and women, and this is the first exhibition to tell that from the recipients' side rather than the collector's. Fifty-three dolls anchor more than 120 works, following a Hopi woman's life from the flat doll given in infancy to the complex figures of adulthood. If you have walked past the Indigenous galleries, this reframes them.
What to expect
The dolls are shown in sequence by life stage, so the display reads as a biography rather than a typology. Expect close, careful looking at painted cottonwood carvings, with Hopi voices carrying the interpretation. It sits within the Center for Feminist Art, so you can loop through Judy Chicago's The Dinner Party in the same visit.
Good to know
- Take the 2/3 to Eastern Parkway-Brooklyn Museum.
- Included with general admission — no separate ticket needed.
- It is inside the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art on the fourth floor.
- Pair it with The Dinner Party, permanently installed in the same wing.
- Quiet on weekday afternoons, which suits the detailed carvings.
Going? Keep it.
Common questions
How many dolls are on view?
Fifty-three, drawn from the Brooklyn Museum's Indigenous art collection, among more than 120 works in total.
What makes the approach different?
It is the first exhibition to examine the Hopi kachina doll tradition from the perspective of the women and girls who receive them.
Where is it in the museum?
In the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, alongside Judy Chicago's The Dinner Party.
