Goalie Mask Designed by Native Artist and Worn by MN Wild Goaltender Acquired by Minnesota Historical Society

Mask designed by Cole Redhorse Taylor and worn by Marc-AndrĂŠ Fleury at Wildâs Native American Heritage Night Stay up to date about all things MinnesotaÂ History.

For immediate release

Dated: January 17, 2024

Contacts:

Contacts

Allison Ortiz, 651-259-3051,Â allison.ortiz@mnhs.orgÂ
Nick Jungheim, 651-259-3060,Â nick.jungheim@mnhs.orgÂ

ST. PAUL, Minn (January 17, 2024) â A piece of hockey history is now part of the collections of theÂ Minnesota Historical Society. MNHS purchased a goalie mask designed byÂ Mdewakanton Dakota artistÂ Cole Redhorse Taylor and worn by Marc-AndrĂŠ Fleury during warmups of the Minnesota Wildâs Native American Heritage Night in November 2023.

Wild goaltender Marc-AndrĂŠ Fleury wore the mask to honor his wife,Â VĂŠronique Larosee Fleury, who is an Indigenous person of Canada. MNHS purchased the mask at auction for $35,100, with the money raised supporting the Minnesota Wild Foundation and the American Indian Family Center.

âThis mask is at the intersection of contemporary Native arts, sports memorabilia, and current discourses on the tension between sports and politics,â said Angelica Maier, curator of 3D objects at MNHS. âBringing the mask into the MNHS collections will further our ongoing effort to bring forward, tell, and preserve Minnesotaâs stories.â

Cole Redhorse Taylor served as a Native American-Artist-in-Residence (NAAIR) from 2018-2020. The nationally renowned program, run by MNHSâs Native American Initiatives Department, engages with Native people and nations throughout the state, ensuring Native voices, stories, and histories are addressed in MNHSâs work.Â

âCole is a valued partner of the work that we do with Native American Initiatives and across MNHS,â said Dr. Amber Annis, director of Native American Initiatives at the Minnesota Historical Society. âThis contemporary piece is representative of the unique histories here within Minnesota and the importance of representation of Dakota art, language, stories, sports, and how they connect to Minnesota history.â

A team from MNHS met with Marc-AndrĂŠ Fleury to accept the mask and a signed Native American Heritage jersey Wednesday, January 17th. Please contact Allison Ortiz atÂ allison.ortiz@mnhs.org or 651-259-3051 with any questions.

About the Minnesota Historical Society

TheÂ Minnesota Historical Society is a non-profit educational and cultural institution established in 1849. MNHS collects, preserves and tells the story of Minnesotaâs past through museum exhibits, libraries and collections, historic sites, educational programs, and book publishing. Using the power of history to transform lives, MNHS preserves our past, shares our stateâs stories, and connects people with history.

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Goalie Mask Designed by Native Artist and Worn by MN Wild Goaltender Acquired by Minnesota Historical Society

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