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BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art today announced Nicholas Galanin (Tlingit-Unangax̂) as the 2024 recipient of the Don Tyson Prize, a $200,000 biennial award for outstanding achievement in American art. Galanin, a Tlingit-Unangax̂ artist based in Sitka, Alaska, is a renowned figure in the art world whose multidisciplinary practice spans sculpture, video, music, performance, and craft. Blending traditional Tlingit art forms with modern techniques and themes, Galanin’s work exemplifies the heart of the Don Tyson Prize – access and transformation. First awarded in 2016, the prize identifies and recognizes individuals or organizations who have changed the way we look at, think about, or experience American art.
Galanin learned jewelry-making and carving from his father and grandfather, starting at age 14. He later expanded his artistic education, studying at London Guildhall University and Massey University in New Zealand. His cutting-edge creativity critiques colonialism and challenges stereotypes about Indigenous art while addressing critical social and environmental issues.
“Receiving the Don Tyson Prize is a profound honor,” said Galanin. “My work seeks to disrupt colonial frameworks while celebrating Indigenous presence, knowledge, and creativity. This recognition fuels my ongoing efforts to create art that sparks dialogue, reclaims narratives, and envisions a future where culture, land, and identity are protected and celebrated.”
Featuring a $200,000 cash award, the Don Tyson Prize for the Advancement of American Art was established by the Tyson family in honor of the late Don Tyson, former chairman and CEO of Tyson Foods. The biennial prize is awarded to living individuals or institutions in the U.S. working in any medium.
The Tyson family has a long-standing relationship with Crystal Bridges, including endowing the museum’s Tyson Scholars of American Art program. Tyson Foods Chairman and son of Don Tyson, John H. Tyson is also an original member of the Crystal Bridges board, and Olivia Tyson is involved with work across Crystal Bridges and the Momentary.
“Nicholas Galanin’s work is a celebration of the rich cultural heritage, spiritual beliefs, and deep connection to the land of Indigenous peoples,” said Olivia Tyson. “We are inspired by his talent and are thrilled to award him with the fifth Don Tyson Prize. He’s a bold artist who creates thought-provoking work. Nicholas has impacted the field through innovation, creative thinking, and risk-taking.”
Galanin’s work has been featured in prominent exhibitions globally, including the Biennial of Sydney, Whitney Biennial and Site Sante Fe. Notable pieces like In every language there is Land / En cada lengua hay una Tierra (2023-2024), Never Forget (2021), and this year’s Seletega (run, see if people are coming/corre a ver si viene gente) on Faena Beach during Miami Art Week demonstrate his active and monumental contributions to meaningful dialogue in contemporary culture. Galanin’s music, created with his band Ya Tseen, complements his visual art by addressing similar themes of Indigenous identity and rights.
Crystal Bridges first presented Galanin’s work in the 2018 exhibition Art for a New Understanding: Native Voices, 1950s to Now, the museum’s inaugural exhibition of Indigenous art. His powerful installations resonated deeply, leading to his inclusion in A Divided Landscape at the Momentary in 2022.
Olivia Walton, Crystal Bridges Board Chair, says the museum recognizes the deep impact and accessibility of Galanin’s art practice.
“In 2024, Crystal Bridges acquired two major recent works by Galanin and received a gift of a 2018 work from a significant collection,” said Olivia Walton. “These artworks will feature prominently in our reinstallation and expansion, underscoring Nicholas’s influence on contemporary art and important role in the ever-broadening American art story.”
The new purchases include I think it goes like this (memory and interference) (2024) and White Noise, American Prayer Rug (2018).
Crystal Bridges’ 114,000-square-foot expansion, led by the acclaimed Safdie Architects, will advance the exploration of a diversified American art narrative, further connections to the beauty of nature, and better engage the community. The museum expansion is set to open in 2026.
Galanin’s receipt of the 2024 Don Tyson Prize demonstrates a continued commitment to honoring individuals and organizations making a significant, memorable impact on the field of American art. In 2022 the prize was granted to renowned photographer and creative pioneer, Deborah Willis, Ph.D. Previous recipients include Houston-based organization Project Row Houses (2020), Vanessa German (2018), a citizen artist whose art explores transformation through art and advocacy, and the Archives of American Art (2016), the first awardee of the Don Tyson Prize.
To learn more about the Don Tyson Prize, including future engagements with Galanin, past winners, and Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, visit the museum’s website and follow @crystalbridgesmuseum on social media.
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