Jeremy Frey stands out as a prominent Indigenous weaver in the United States. Originating from Maine, he acquired his expertise in traditional Wabanaki weaving techniques from his mother and through his involvement with the Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance. His creations reflect a harmonious blend of tradition and innovation, introducing new concepts and crafting a market niche for items typically absent from modern art galleries.
Through his experimental approach, Frey has cultivated a unique aesthetic that marries craft, design, and contemporary art, taking inspiration from diverse forms and pioneering techniques that elevate the artform. His recognition includes being named a MacArthur Fellow in 2025. Frey is set to join Hrag Vartanian, co-founder and editor-at-large of Hyperallergic, for a discussion on the journey of each artwork, from material harvesting to its exhibition in prestigious art museums worldwide.
This conversation is complimentary for Hyperallergic’s subscribing members. Born in 1978 at the Passamaquoddy Indian Township Reservation in Maine, Frey is a leading figure among Passamaquoddy artists. His lineage of Indigenous weavers provided a foundation, furthered by his apprenticeship at the Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance. Using materials he gathers himself, such as sweetgrass and black ash wood, his vessels are noted for their intricately layered colors and complex weaves.
Frey’s work engages with the material histories of Wabanaki basketry while conversing with contemporary sculpture’s focus on materiality and repetitive form variation. He has innovated a flat weaving technique for basket relief prints, allowing multiple press runs to distribute his methods without depleting his rare resources. Frey currently resides in Maine.
