The Museum at the Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre will host a special “Meet the Artist & Catalog Signing” with Arthur Amiotte on Saturday, Aug. 16, from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. and from 1-3 p.m. CDT.

Exhibition catalogs were produced by the South Dakota Historical Society Press and are available for sale at the Cultural Heritage Center. There is no fee to attend the book signing, but the regular admission fee applies to visit the exhibition.

The book signing will be Amiotte’s last public appearance in association with the exhibit “Transformation & Continuity in Lakota Culture: The Collages of Arthur Amiotte, 1988-2014” before it closes at the Cultural Heritage Center at the end of business on Sunday, Aug. 24.

“Transformation & Continuity in Lakota Culture: The Collages of Arthur Amiotte, 1988-2014” is an exhibit that explores the recent work of Amiotte, a South Dakota native and Lakota artist whose career in art spans over five decades. The display is a retrospective of Amiotte’s work using the collage process.

As part of the exhibit, Amiotte provides insight into his design inspiration and his processes. Fifty-six original and reproduced works are now on display, including those borrowed from other museums and private collections from around the country.

One of Amiotte’s inspirations is the Standing Bear muslin from the Museum of the South Dakota State Historical Society’s collection. The original muslin is now on display, with a description and interpretation provided by Amiotte.

“The exhibit has been well received and well attended,” said Museum Director Jay Smith. “We hope that all South Dakotans have the opportunity to enjoy his work.”

Some of the work has recently been spotlighted in the museum’s Facebook posts. Those posts can be seen at: https://www.facebook.com/SDMuseum?ref=sgm.

“Mr. Amiotte is a South Dakota treasure,” said Smith. “It has been an honor and a privilege to work with him over the past year, and we are delighted that he chose our facility to debut this exhibition. We want to be sure that everyone knows that he will be in town to sign catalogs and meet our patrons one more time before the exhibit moves to its next location.”

The exhibit will travel to four other museums in South Dakota over the next 16 months. It will be at The Heritage Center at the Red Cloud Indian School from Sept. 10–Dec. 15; the Washington Pavilion in Sioux Falls from Dec. 26, 2014–April 26, 2015; the Akta Lakota Museum in Chamberlain from May 5–Oct. 1, 2015; and the Dahl Arts Center in Rapid City from Oct. 10, 2015–Jan. 6, 2016.

For more information, visit www.history.sd.gov or call (605) 773-3458.

The South Dakota State Historical Society is a division of the Department of Tourism. The Department of Tourism is comprised of Tourism, the South Dakota Arts Council, and the State Historical Society. The Department is led by Secretary James D. Hagen. The State Historical Society, an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, is headquartered at the South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre. The center houses the society’s world-class museum, the archives, and the historic preservation, publishing and administrative/development offices. Call (605) 773-3458 or visit www.history.sd.gov for more information. The society also has an archaeology office in Rapid City; call (605) 394-1936 for more information.