Dr. Alexandra Nahwegahbow

Biography

Alexandra Kahsenni:io Nahwegahbow is a lecturer at Carleton University in the Department of History. She has a BA from the University of Guelph and both an MA and is currently pursuing a PhD at Carleton University, expected in 2025. Nahwegahbow is Anishinaabe Kanien’kehá:ka, a member of the Whitefish River Nation with maternal roots in Kahnawà:ke Mohawk Territory, and she was born and raised in Ottawa, Ontario. Previously, she held the position of Associate Curator of Historical Indigenous Art at the National Gallery of Canada from 2018 to 2024. Her expertise lies in visual material culture within traditional territories of the Great Lakes region, focusing her doctoral research on material histories of Indigenous childcare roles. She emphasizes methodologies that prioritize care, visiting, relationality, and customary arts. Her curatorial work includes internationally recognized exhibitions such as Histórias indígenas at the Museu de Arte de São Paulo and Vessels at the Carleton University Art Gallery. Nahwegahbow has published articles in various art journals and contributed to edited volumes. She serves on the Board of Directors for both Gallery 101 and the Native American Arts Studies Association, and is involved with the Indigenous Advisory Council at the Terra Foundation for American Art. Her work is deeply embedded in the Indigenous art community, and she continues to engage with contemporary Indigenous artists through various projects and exhibitions.

Research Interests

Experience