INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — An exhibition of contemporary bead art with 100 works from Native American and Indigenous artists will open in April in downtown Indianapolis. Radical Stitch is being touted as one of the largest exhibitions of contemporary Native bead art ever presented in North Ameri ca. The Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art says its exhibition will highlight techniques and designs that tell stories and address current issues. The exhibition includes art that represent thematic strands such as pop culture references, food sovereignty, and Indigenous Futurism. The exhibition will run April 12 through Aug. 3. A news release issued Tuesday from the museum said beadwork was introduced into North America in the early 1800s as trade goods. Glass beads became an artistic medium for generations of Native artists, expanding beadwork into an innovative art form encompassing historic cultural traditions and contemporary expressions. Opening day events will include a public gallery talk from Eiteljorg Curator Dorene Red Cloud and the co-curators of Radical Stitch, along with a panel discussion and artist demonstration. Admission to the museum is free to visitors who are enrolled members of Native American tribes and have tribal identification, and to all Indiana college, university and trade school students who have their school IDs. General admission tickets are $12 for ages 5-17, $16 for age 65 and older, and $20 for all other adults. An underground garage provides free parking. Avis Foundation, Capital Group, the Braitman Family, the Frenzel Family Foundation, and the Ann W. King Fund, with additional support from the Native Arts + Cultures Foundation and the Consulate General of Canada in Detroit, are sponsoring the exhibition. Support also comes from the Canada Council for the Arts. ...read more read less