Robin K. Wright

Robin K. Wright is a Professor of Art History at the University of Washington and former Curator of Native American Art at the Burke Museum. She holds a PhD in Art History from the University of Washington (1985). Her career has been marked by pioneering work in Northwest Coast Native American art, blending academic research with community engagement.

• Key Affiliations:
• Professor, Department of Art History
• Former Curator of Native American Art, Burke Museum
• Founder and former Director of the Bill Holm Center for the Study of Northwest Coast Art

Her research focuses on identifying historical Native American artisans, genealogical connections to cultural artifacts, and collaborative curation with tribal communities. She co-curated the landmark 1989 State Centennial Exhibition A Time for Gathering, funded by an NEH grant, which pioneered tribal involvement in museum exhibits. This project established her reputation as a cultural ambassador bridging academic and indigenous knowledge systems.

• Awards:
• 2015 Mayor’s Arts Award

Wright’s work emphasizes mutual learning between academic institutions and Native communities, including projects where tribal genealogies enrich museum collections and vice versa. Despite retiring from curatorial and faculty roles, she plans to continue research and complete her long-awaited book project on Northern Haida master carvers.