Mary Deleary Appointed Director of Museum of Contemporary Native Arts

The Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) has named Dr. Mary Deleary (Chippewas of the Thames First Nation) director of the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) in Santa Fe. She begins her new role on October 19.

Deleary is the current director of the IAIA Research Center for Contemporary Native Arts (RCCNA). As director of MoCNA, she will oversee the museum’s exhibitions, collections, programs, partnerships, research, and operations and will serve as a member of the IAIA President’s Cabinet, which defines and supports the relationship between the museum and the broader institution. She is also a graduate of the IAIA—she earned a BFA in Museum Studies—and holds a PhD in Native American Art History from the University of Oklahoma, with a focus on Anishinaabe practices of making, remembering, and reconnecting with ancestral belongings held within museums and archives.

In a press release, IAIA President Dr. Shelly C. Lowe (Navajo) underscored Deleary’s commitment to the institution and to Native American art. “Dr. Deleary brings a deep understanding of IAIA, contemporary Indigenous art, museum practice, archives, and the relationships that connect artists, collections, students, and communities,” she said. “As an IAIA alum and a leader who has already contributed meaningfully to our institution, she understands both the history we carry and the possibilities ahead.”

Established in 1972, MoCNA grew out of IAIA’s collection and student artwork. It now holds more than 9,500 artworks created from 1962 to the present and is a leading institution dedicated to contemporary Indigenous art.

“MoCNA is a special place that educates, celebrates, and centers the lives, works, and stories of many Indigenous artists,” Deleary said. “My own relationship with MoCNA began when I was a student intern, and that experience greatly shaped my understanding of museum work and the important role museums play in supporting Indigenous artists, students, and communities. I am honored to return to MoCNA in this new role and to work alongside an incredible team as we build upon the foundation established by former Director Patsy Phillips (Cherokee Nation).”