Against the background of tensions animating museum discourse of the 1980s, Mixed Metaphors challenged both art and artifact methods of display and discourses of authenticity. Instead of lamenting changes in indigenous societies, or rearticulating narratives of the redemption and preservation of indigenous culture from immanent destruction or contamination, Mixed Metaphors pushed SAM to further articulate its values of global, cross-cultural, and future oriented indigenous presents. Mixed Metaphors formed a continuation of the practices and approaches already in use at the museum, challenging characterizations of artist versus museum binaries. Through his intervention, Wilson opened the galleries up to meanings outside of the art and artifact paradigms of classification, interpretation, and display. Ultimately, the installations participated in questioning some of the organizing principles of the museum's role as collectors and preservers of art and culture.