(Denver, CO) – The Denver Art Museum recently announced the artists chosen for its 2026 Native Arts Artist-in-Residency Program, and among those selected was CooXooEii Black, an Afro-Indigenous poet and writer from the Wind River Reservation, who is also a member of the Northern Arapaho Tribe, a Lander Valley High School graduate (where he was also a star basketball player), and a former County 10 contributor and regular podcast guest.
While exact opening exhibit dates for the residency have yet to be set, CooXooEii says installations will begin “in mid to late July,” and will stay there for a while. (Folks who would like to attend should keep an eye on the Denver Art Museum website linked above in the coming months for ticket/admission details.)
County 10 recently caught up with CooXooEii, who explained that the offer to take part in the residency came in the form of an Instagram message, which he almost missed while taking a break from the platform. But, thanks to “God’s goodness,” he “randomly decided to redownload it,” and saw the message from Danielle Stephens, the Senior Interpretive Specialist at the Denver Art Museum.
“I don’t believe in coincidences, but instead, I believe God is sovereign and can make things align,” CooXooEii shared. “She (Danielle) told me a bit about the residency and said they thought I’d be a good fit for their upcoming showcase. We hopped on a video call and everything fell into place.”
“It’s wild to think that if I hadn’t redownloaded Instagram that day, I may have missed this opportunity,” CooXooEii continued. “Again, God is so good. I recently read through my journal and came across a prayer I wrote in 2024. ‘I ask the Lord to bring the right residency/fellowship opportunities for me as a poet.’ I’m honored that the Denver Art Museum considered me to participate. It’s a testament to God’s goodness and encouraging to me to know that he’s with me on this poetry journey. He opened the door for me.”
CooXooEii went on to share that he and his wife visited Denver during the first week of October for an initial site visit to the museum, where they explored its collections, met the team, and viewed its Arapaho artifacts, some of which “predate 1800.”
“It was inspiring to think about how I can continue the legacy of Arapaho artists,” said CooXooEii. “Also, I can’t lie, the fact that my work will be in a museum is exciting.”
In addition to adding visual elements to his poetry and exploring a new medium, CooXooEii said he is especially excited about sharing/showcasing his Afro-Indigenous roots through his art, with the main focus of his exhibition being “Toponymic Racism.”
“Toponomy is the study of how geographical places are named, and there are hundreds of places in the US, Colorado, and even Wyoming, whose names are racist in origin,” CooXooEii explained. “The idea of Toponymic Racism impacts both Black and Indigenous people. In my poetry, I’ll explore racist geographical names for both people groups. Being Afro-Indigenous also informs my artistic expression because I see similarities between both peoples in terms of oppression, the fight for civil rights, resilience, and revitalization. I like to think of a Venn diagram. In one circle, you have Blackness, and in the other, Indigeneity, and right in the middle of the intersection is where they come together. In poetry, I may write in the middle part, or I may move completely into one circle or the other.”
CooXooEii went on to share that he is inspired by Bryan Stevenson and his work with the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, “where he insists that we confront the legacy of slavery and lynching so that we cannot ignore the injustices that continue today.”
“I’m also inspired by how Germany has placed memorials, photos, and placards all across their country to remind and confront people with the horrors of the Holocaust so that it cannot be ignored and repeated,” CooXooEii added.
CooXooEii went on to explain that his visual poetry project is working off the following questions:
“Should these names be changed to something less offensive? Who decides what they will be changed to, if there is a change? In changing them, will we lose a difficult part of our history? Should the names remain in place to confront people with this history as a means of prevention, despite the discomfort it may cause? Why were the places giving names with racist origins instead of honoring Indigenous and Black heroes? If the names are changed, how can we ensure that the history is remembered so it doesn’t get lost or repeated? Monuments? Placards? Poems?”
“My goal isn’t to give an answer but to pose a question,” CooXooEii concluded.
In terms of representing the Northern Arapaho tribe, the Wind River Reservation, and Fremont County in such a high-profile setting, CooXooEii said it is a “lofty task” but “such an honor.”
“First and foremost, all three have impacted my identity, which then impacts my writing,” CooXooEii explained. “The geographical landscape of the Rez and Fremont County. The culture and lifestyle of the Rez. The cultural practices, lifestyle, language, and beliefs of the Northern Arapaho tribe. The Tribe, the Rez, and Fremont County will all be present in my exhibit. As I mentioned before, it’s humbling to know I’m continuing a legacy of Arapaho art and oral/poetic tradition. I love that, coming from a “small” place (though we know there’s nothing small about it), I have the opportunity to showcase the talent that can emerge from there. I know this is true because I am a product of this place. I’m grateful to be in this position.”
County 10 asked CooXooEii if he had any advice for young artists, especially Indigenous youth in the Wind River Reservation.
“First and foremost, if your goal is to pursue a career in the arts, ensure that people have a way to contact you,” CooXooEii shared. “After I missed Danielle’s email, I’ve since added my email to my Instagram and updated all my social pages to include my contact info. You could even have business cards to pass out. This professionalisation can move your mindset from looking at art as a hobby and as something you will pursue as a career (if you want to keep it as a hobby, that is fine too).”
“I’d also say don’t be afraid to be unapologetically Native in your work,” CooXooEii continued. “Think about what stories you want to tell and tell them because they need to be told, and no one else will. Let me give you an example. My grandma passed away in 2024. She was one of the few remaining fluent Arapaho speakers. I wrote a poem about my time with her, about her history, who she was in the present, and my time learning the language from her. If I don’t write that poem, no one else does, and that history gets lost. That’s really sad and hurts my heart thinking about it. This is why I write, and this is why you must also create.”
You can read some of CooXooEii’s poetry here, and he said the best way to purchase his work is to message him directly on Instagram or Facebook. As mentioned above, be sure to check with the Denver Art Museum in the coming months for CooXooEii’s residency dates.