By Robert J. Kett

In the second volume of the CCA Single series, Robert J. Kett revisits the Indigenous occupation of Alcatraz Island from 1969 to 1971 and uncovers other designs for the Rock from within the counterculture.

This book is the result of Kett’s participation in the CCA  Emerging Curator program, which aims to  take the institution’s curatorial work into unexplored territories. Kett, an anthropologist and curator based in California, pointed to the need to study the confluence of new media practices and the influence of Indigenous culture in the design work of the American counterculture: looking back at this moment, he suggested, would open new perspectives on contemporary debates concerning cultural appropriation and design methodology. By offering the CCA the chance to explore these questions, the project also identified important gaps in its collection and programming regarding the presence of Indigenous voices.