"Cherokee Spokespeople" exhibit cards

Cherokee artist America Meredith puts words on wheelsIt started as a summer project in 2004. Now there are hundreds of them: laminated cards, each with a Cherokee word and picture. Adanhdo: "heart," nvnohi: "path," atseluhisdi: "saxophone." They travel with bicycle messengers all over the world, a mobile international exhibition that Cherokee/Swedish artist America Meredith calls "Cherokee Spokespeople."

Meredith, 35, worked as a bicycle messenger for 10 years. She gives away her illustrated cards to members of the close-knit international bicycle messenger community who send her back a photo or video of the card in the spokes of their bicycle in their city. In this way, Cherokee words have spread to Tokyo, London, Zurich, Tapei, Aukland and other cities.