Assorted Apparels | Unplash by Nick de Partee
Assorted Apparels | Unplash by Nick de Partee
Travels with Mari is an exhibit in the Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center from Jan. 9 through May 12. It features photographs from Sandoz’s trips across the U.S. from the 1940s to 1960s. In addition to photos, exhibit artifacts include suitcases, a hat box, purses, perfume bottles, and clothing. One display case is filled with accessories such as bracelets, earrings, necklaces, and scarves, according to Courtney Kouba, assistant archivist.
“There's a lot of unusual items in this exhibit that otherwise would just be in the archive. Mari used her accessories to brighten up her look because her favorite color was brown and most of her clothes were neutral colors,” Kouba said. “When you look at her clothing and accessories from New York, Mari shopped at Saks Fifth Avenue. You see that label over and over. She had a credit card from there. I'm sure she went to other upscale places, too. She really liked fashion.”
A dress Sandoz is wearing in a 1963 photograph in Sheridan, Wyoming, is in the exhibit. She was there to give a talk at the Wyoming State Historical Society's annual meeting, according to Kouba.For the travel-themed exhibit labels, Kouba formatted excerpts from Sandoz’s letters into postcards.“She often wrote in brown ink. It really was her signature color,” Kouba said.
One display case is focused on Sandoz’s research, including a photograph of her with a park ranger during a trip to what is now the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument.“I love that she's wearing pants because otherwise most of the photos show her in dresses and skirts,” Kouba said.Another photo shows Sandoz and her friend, Eleanor Hinman, posing during their 3,000-mile road trip to conduct Native American research for the book Crazy Horse. Kouba said one photo shows a bit more of Sandoz’s relaxed side when she was on the KUON radio station in Lincoln.“Mari did a series on history and the plains writing. In one photo, she's teaching the rabbit dance while talking about the Sioux,” Kouba said.
Original source can be found here.
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