The Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art (NEHMA) at Utah State University is deeply honored to receive the 2025 Charles Redd Center for Western Studies Award for Exhibition Excellence for Repainting the I: The Intermountain Intertribal Indian School Murals (January 25, 2025 – January 17, 2026).

This exhibition tells a story that is too often unheard—the experiences of Indigenous students at the largest residential boarding school in the United States—and the role art played in shaping the students’ identity and resilience. At its heart are eleven murals rescued from the abandoned Intermountain Indian School (1950–1984) in Brigham City, Utah. These conserved murals, which once adorned the walls of the school buildings, now stand alongside historical artifacts, documents, and art created by local children inspired by the school. Photographs from artist Sheila Nadimi also accompany the exhibition, capturing the haunting beauty of the school’s deteriorating structures and offering critical visual context to this important history.

A School and Its Legacy

Established in 1950, the Intermountain Indian School served more than 20,000 students from 99 tribes until its closure in 1984. While early boarding schools were designed to erase Native cultures, Intermountain gradually shifted toward affirming them. Central to this change was a robust arts program led by prominent Native artists, including Allan Houser, Urshel Taylor, John Huskett, and Zig Jackson, that gave students a way to express their heritage through visual art. By the time the school closed, its hallways and dorm rooms were alive with murals that served as powerful affirmations of cultural identity created by students whose names we may never know. Today, these murals are among the last surviving physical artifacts of the school, and their preservation ensures that the creative legacies of these students endure.

Collaboration at the Core

From the outset, NEHMA approached this project as a collaborative effort. We worked closely with Intermountain alumni, former teachers, and Native scholars to guide every step from conservation to interpretation. A committee of alumni, educators, and art
historians shaped the process, ensuring that the voices of those who lived this history were central. The exhibition’s title, Repainting the I, honors a tradition alumni continue today: climbing the mountain overlooking the former school site to repaint the giant “I” during reunions. This act of care and remembrance speaks volumes. Alumni proudly call themselves alumni, not “survivors”, a powerful departure from the language often associated with boarding school experiences. 

Extending the Story Beyond Our Walls

In February 2025, NEHMA hosted a panel discussion featuring three alumni, a former art teacher, and two scholars. Their stories were raw, moving, and deeply personal, and brought the history of Intermountain to life. We also took the exhibition on the road. Through NEHMA’s Mobile Art Truck, reproductions of the murals traveled across Utah, reaching 13,072 K–12 students at 81 schools with integrated artmaking experiences. To deepen engagement, we created a children’s book, A Sense of Self: Intermountain Indian School Art, and distributed Exploring Art Kits designed with input from alumni and educators. These kits reached another 13,551 students at 111 schools, helping young learners explore Utah history through the lens of Intermountain students’ experiences.

Impact and Recognition

The response has been more wonderful than we could have ever imagined. Former students and teachers have shared stories, tears, and gratitude that affirms the importance of preserving this history. National and local media outlets, including The Salt Lake Tribune, Forbes, and NPR’s Morning Edition, have amplified the conversation, helping more people understand why these murals matter. This project is about stewardship, collaboration, and honoring voices that have too often been silenced. We invite you to experience Repainting the I and join us in preserving this vital chapter of Western history.

Zaira Arredondo is the Director of Collection Management and Exhibition Planning at the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art. She holds a BA degree in Graphic Design from the Universidad de Guanajuato, and an MA in Museology from the University of Washington. Her experience in museums and non-profit organizations spans a 20+ year career. Working in various areas of museum administration, from exhibition design and installation, registration, collections care, to education, and development. She has been at NEHMA for 11 years.