10/27/2026
JUSTICES WHITENER AND MONTOYA LEWIS' JEWELRY ON DISPLAT AT THE SUPREME COURT!
New exhibit explores identity, heritage and belonging in state’s highest court.
Jewelry, portraits, personal articles on display in Temple of Justice through mid-December.
A new exhibit in the Temple of Justice features items of Justices G. Helen Whitener and Raquel Montoya-Lewis, along with photographs, poetry, and personal reflections exploring identity, heritage, and belonging.
The assembled articles, according to the organizers, “reflect the ways each justice has brought elements of who she is into the spaces in which justice is administered.”
“Their colors, materials, patterns, and forms remind us that there is no contradiction between the dignity of judicial office and the individuality of the person who serves within it,” notes the exhibit’s program statement. “Rather, our institutions are enriched when the people entrusted to serve within them can be seen in the fullness of who they are.”
Articles on display come from the personal collections of the two justices, including items worn during court proceedings.
When chosen for such occasions, these pieces set the wearer’s cultural ancestry against the black gown of the judicial profession. The practice puts two distinct norms into conversation — each with distinct claims on power, dignity, and tradition.
A placard next to Justice Montoya-Lewis’ articles note that “The jewelry carries family. It carries culture. It carries ancestors. And its presence reminds us that belonging within an institution need not require leaving part of ourselves behind.”
In addition to her own jewelry, neckwear, and patterned textiles, Justice Whitener contributed a poem entitled “IT.” Her poem counters familiar race- and gender-specific stereotypes with an act of self-definition. IT, notes Justice Whitener, stands for “Identity Transcendence.”
Justice Montoya-Lewis, who is serving in the final weeks of her term, is only the second American Indian woman nationwide to serve on a state supreme court, and the first in Washington state.
The exhibit also includes portraits of both justices by artist Ximena Velázquez-Arenas, whose vibrant works incorporate cultural imagery reflecting each justice’s heritage. Justice Whitener is depicted holding the national flower of her native Trinidad and Tobago, while Justice Montoya-Lewis is surrounded by colors, patterns, and musical instruments representing her Pueblo roots in New Mexico.
The exhibit is on view through mid-December. It was organized with the assistance of the court's Art Acquisition and Maintenance Committee, which oversees art installations throughout the building, including portraits of justices past and present, which are hung in the court's Reception Room.
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