The Heard Museum’s newest exhibition, “Heart of the Community: Baskets from the Basha Family Collection of American Indian Art” is open and on display now in Phoenix.

The exhibit celebrates the Basha family’s gift of the Eddie Basha Collection of American Indian Art to the Heard Museum this past October. It is on display at the Heard, 2301 N. Central Ave.

The exhibition title recognizes Eddie Basha’s appreciation of American Indian communities of which art is an integral part.

Many of the baskets were woven in the early decades of the 20th century in Arizona. They come from a time when weavers were fully exploring their art form, referencing design important to their lives and recognizing change.

The art of Western Apache, Yavapai, and Akimel O’odham weavers will be featured in the exhibition, providing context for the time in which the baskets were woven and presenting contemporary photos of working basket weavers today.

" Every work in the collection tells a story of its source community and illuminates the important contributions that American Indian artists have played, and continue to play, in the arts and culture of Arizona,” David M. Roche, Dickey Family director and Heard Museum CEO, shared in a press release. “We are excited to now share these works of Indigenous creation from the Basha Collection with visitors to the Heard Museum, in perpetuity, and hope that the Arizona community will share in the pride we feel as stewards of these precious works of art."

Basha Jr. was the chairman and CEO of Bashas’ Inc., Arizona’s only family-owned grocery store company. After taking over Bashas’ when his father died, he and his fellow Bashas’ members expanded the small company to a chain of 160 stores.

In 1971, under the encouragement and guidance of his aunt Zelma Basha, Eddie began collecting art.

Visit heard.org.