DC | Living Earth Festival: "Always Becoming"
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Sunday, April 26, 2026, 11 am – 5 pm Celebrate the transformational power of clay and the evolution of the museum's iconic outdoor sculpture installation Always Becoming (2007) by Nora Naranjo Morse (Khapo Owingeh [Santa Clara Pueblo]). Join the museum for a weekend of stories, artist demonstrations, hands-on activities, performances, and more centered on the relationship between art and the earth.To commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the museum will host programs reflecting on the ever-evolving nature of the country, communities, and future we share through the unique lens of Always Becoming. The site-specific sculptures by Nora Naranjo Morse (Khapo Owingeh [Santa Clara Pueblo]) on the southern exposure of our Washington, DC museum were constructed using Native building techniques. Made entirely of natural materials, including clay, straw, sand, soil, and wood, the sculptures were designed to reveal their inner structure over time. Their transitory nature reflects the relationship between Indigenous cultures and the land.SCHEDULEOutdoors, Southern Exposure 11 AM5 PM | Always Becoming Revitalization Artist Nora Naranjo Morse and her team will share with visitors how she collaborated with the museum's conservation team and Smithsonian Gardens to care for the Always Becoming sculptures since they were built nearly two decades ago on the grounds of the Washington, DC museum. Stop by to observe and ask questions as a team actively works on the sculptures to enhance the experience of the site-specific installation. Level 1, Potomac Atrium 11 AM5 PM | From Earth to Art: Pottery and Clay Sculpture Demonstrations Sculptor Kathleen Wall (Jemez Pueblo/White Earth) will share the process of creating her award-winning and ever-evolving clay storyteller sculptures rooted in Jemez Pueblo tradition. Potter Allyson Gray (Pamunkey) will discuss how she honors and revitalizes her community's blackware pottery tradition while incorporating modern elements. She will share how Pamunkey pottery is deeply connected to the community's relationship with the Earth. SELECT TIMESOutdoors, Amphitheater 11 AM12 PM, 3:30 4:30 PM | Hands On: Make a Seed Ball Artist and educator Eliza Naranjo Morse (Khapo Owingeh [Santa Clara Pueblo]) will teach visitors how to make seed balls which can be taken home to plant and grow in this hands-on activity. Outdoors, Southern Exposure 11 AM1 PM, 24 PM | Hands On: Always Becoming Teaching Cart When Always Becoming was installed in 2007, small sculpture models called maquettes were also created. With help from Museum Educators, visitors can see and touch the original forms and learn how the sculptures have changed over the years. Level 1, Potomac Atrium 11 AM, 1 PM, 3 PM | MaaTuu Pueblo Dance Group The MaaTuu Pueblo Dance Group which features members from Santa Clara Pueblo, Pojoaque Pueblo, Taos Pueblo, Kiwa Pueblo and the Tohono O'odham Nation will share traditional dances. Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center 11:30 AM | Story Time: Just a Walk by Jordan Wheeler Families are invited to an interactive story time featuring the children's book Just a Walk by Jordan Wheeler (Cree, Ojibwa, Assiniboine). They will have the opportunity to engage with objects from the museums Teaching Collection such as photographs, textiles, or natural materials that can deepen their understanding of the community represented in the story, along with a craft or other activity. *Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3. **Recommended for visitors ages 3-9 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.Outdoors, Southern Exposure 12 PM | Landscape/Garden Tour Join Christine Price-Abelow, Horticulturist for Smithsonian Gardens, for an engaging tour of the museum's landscape and learn how she cares for the Native plants on our grounds. Level 1, Rasmuson Theater 2 PM | Meet the Artist: Nora Naranjo Morse Award-winning artist Nora Naranjo Morse shares her insight regarding the creation of Always Becoming as well as her vision for the sculptures in the years to come. Nora's daughter, Eliza Naranjo Morse, will share the short film Our Owenge (Directors: Zak Naranjo Morse, Jace Parker, Nora Naranjo Morse, and Derek Browning, USA, 2019, 12 min.), which documents how students at the Khapo Community School in the Santa Clara Pueblo community learn the tradition of adobe construction. ***Schedule subject to change without prior notice. Image: Nora Naranjo Morse (Khapo Owingeh [Santa Clara Pueblo], b. 1953).Always Becoming, 2007-present, Washington, DC, USA. Sculptures made of natural materials. Museum commission from the artist, 2007. 26/5840. Photo by Norwood Photography. This project received funding from the Smithsonian's Our Shared Future: 250, a Smithsonian-wide initiative supported by private philanthropy and created to commemorate the nation's 250th anniversary and advance the Smithsonian vision for the next 250 years. Sponsor: American Indian Museum Venue: American Indian Museum DC Event Location: Multiple locations, Outdoors Cost: FREE Categories: Celebrations, Demonstrations, Gallery Talks & Tours, Kids & Families, Lectures & Discussions, Performances