Laura J. Allen

Curator | Scholar | Writer

Based in New York City, I am the Curator of Native American Art at the Montclair Art Museum, bridging historical, modern, and contemporary Indigenous art. My interdisciplinary background includes anthropology, design and design history, and the natural sciences.

I focus on the material and natural worlds of the Americas, particularly Indigenous and intercultural dress, fashion, and textiles. My curatorial approach is collaborative. I strive to activate museum collections through (re)connection with communities of origin and inspire critically engaged museum audiences.

I'm a scholar of the Native Northwest Coast and Alaska. My research addresses themes such as material sovereignty, resurgence, colonialism, and the collection, circulation, and display of cultural objects and designs.


Recent Exhibition Projects

Selected Research & Publications

Selected Presentations

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Site ©2023 Laura Allen
Photo: Jeremy Dennis (Shinnecock Nation)
Jumpsuit: Osei-Duro