LIVING MEMORY, SHAPING THE FUTURE.

The Walker Family Collection 

The Walker Family Collection began not with a single purchase, but with a lifetime of meaningful conversations and encounters. Its first steward, Hans Walker Jr., was a pioneering Native attorney who traveled extensively across Indian Country. Along the way, he brought art home—not as objects to own, but as expressions of connection, memory, and trust. That quiet legacy became the foundation for what would grow into the Walker Youngbird Foundation and the collection we now carry forward.

These works have shaped our family’s understanding of presence, care, and responsibility. Today, we continue that work by tending to each piece with intention, building relationships with the artists behind them, and sharing the collection with institutions that honor Indigenous creativity with the respect it deserves.

This isn’t just preservation—it’s participation. A way of listening, of holding space for stories, and helping shape a future where Native art continues to lead, challenge, and inspire.

Our Philosophy

Preserving Legacy. Championing Innovation. Lending with Purpose.

RAVEN HALFMOON | Pink Lady, 2025

  • The Walker Family Collection is a living archive of contemporary and traditional Indigenous art—curated with care, rooted in relationship, and built in alignment with the Walker Youngbird Foundation’s guiding mission:

    “To honor and uplift Indigenous voices, creating a world where Native artists can reshape cultural perceptions, preserve heritage, and drive societal change through artistic innovation.”

    Spanning painting, sculpture, textile, photography, performance documentation, and ceremonial objects, the collection reflects the multiplicity of Indigenous expression across generations, mediums, and nations. It is both a record of history and a catalyst for what’s to come.

  • The Walker Family Collection is not static. It is active, relational, and evolving—supporting Indigenous artists through acquisitions, partnerships, and long-term engagement.

    Key features include:

    • Acquisition of work by both established and emerging Native artists

    • Community-centered stewardship with artist-approved handling and contextualization

    • Museum and institutional loans, making work accessible to broader audiences

    • Support for under-recognized regions and practices within Native art history

    • Archival care and documentation that respects cultural specificity

  • The Collection actively supports educational and curatorial initiatives by offering select works on loan to museums, universities, tribal centers, and non-profit galleries. We believe in amplifying Indigenous narratives beyond private ownership and ensuring Native work circulates within dialogues that honor its depth and origin.

    If you're interested in collaborating, hosting, or learning more about loan availability please visit our Loan Requests page.

LIST OF ARTISTS

Baker, Teresa

Bartow, Rick

Begaye, Marwin

Buffalohead, Julie

Cardinal-Schubert, Joane

Craig, Jordan Ann

Fedderson, Joe

Fragua, Jaque

Frey, Jeremy

Galanin, Nicholas

Gibson, Jeffrey

Halfmoon, Raven

Heap of Birds, Edgar

Houle, Robert

Janvier, Alex

Kahlhamer, Brad

Mallory, Brenda

Monkman, Kent

Namingha, Dan

Niro, Shelley

Quick-to-See Smith, Jaune

Red Star, Wendy

Scholder, Fritz

Simpson, Rose B.

Singletary, Preston

Smoke Santiago, Natasha

WalkingStick, Kay

Watt, Marie

Whitehorse, Emmi

Yuxweluptun, Lawrence Paul