Temple University’s Tyler School of Art and Architecture is pleased to announce that Anna Tsouhlarakis, an interdisciplinary artist working across sculpture, installation, video and performance, has been selected as the second Edgar Heap of Birds Family Artist in Residence. Her residency will take place during the spring 2026 semester. 

An associate professor in the Art and Art History Department at the University of Colorado Boulder, Tsouhlarakis is Greek, Creek and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. Her work has been featured in major national and international venues, including Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, and a solo exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver.  

Throughout her 25-year career, Tsouhlarakis has continually challenged and stretched the boundaries of aesthetic and conceptual expectations of Native art through video, performance, sculpture, photography, and installation. 

A Growing Residency Program 

Tyler Dean Susan E. Cahan reflected on the significance of advancing the Edgar Heap of Birds Family Artist in Residence program into its second year. “We are honored to welcome Anna Tsouhlarakis, whose  boundary-pushing practice and bold voice will invigorate our community and broaden the perspectives that shape learning at Tyler.” 

The residency, established through an endowed gift from Tyler alum and leading artist, educator and activist Edgar Heap of Birds (MFA ’79), supports artists whose work is primarily focused on the history and lived experience of North American federally recognized tribal citizens. It offers time, space and access to Tyler’s state-of-the-art studio facilities and community of artists, designers, architects and scholars. Heap of Birds also named a 750-square-foot exhibition space in Temple Contemporary, Tyler’s center for exhibitions and public programming, where the residency’s culminating solo exhibition will take place in fall 2026. 

“Anna's sculpture, performance and text-based broadsides speak to a Native American method of historic art making legacy while firmly entrenched in the mainstream creative strategies of today. She also has earned her place to be associated with pride as an artistic colleague of countless important artists in America and throughout the world,” said Heap of Birds.   

Tsouhlarakis’ Plans for the Residency 

Tsouhlarakis emphasized how meaningful it is to have the time and dedicated space that a residency provides. She eagerly anticipates being able to “slow down, take risks and follow ideas that might not fit into the pace of everyday life.” She plans to spend the residency exploring the possibilities printmaking provides for intersecting text with imagery and experimenting with glass, a material she hasn’t had the opportunity to work with before.  

“What really excites me about working in Tyler’s studios is the chance to be part of such a creative and energetic community,” said Tsouhlarakis, who is based in Colorado. “Coming from out west, where my work’s been shaped a lot by the landscape, politics and people, I’m looking forward to seeing how Philadelphia’s urban environment and diverse perspectives might influence what I make.”  

Looking Ahead 

Tsouhlarakis grew up learning about Edgar Heap of Birds’ work as an artist and activist, and she noted how deeply his generosity has shaped her own sense of responsibility. She described the residency as “a reminder of the importance of giving back to your community and to support the ongoing and evolving dialogue of contemporary Native art.”