The two pieces I chose are both inspired by Native American culture. The first is titled Ghost Dancer, from the Ghost Dancer Series by Jaune Quick-to-See Smith. The piece is pastel on paper and is in the permanent collection at the Brunnier Art Museum at Iowa State university, its object number is UM82.8. The second piece I chose is also in the permanent collection at the Brunnier Art Museum with the object number being UM82.7. This piece is an acrylic painting on canvas titled, And Then There Were Five, by George Longfish. The artists of both these pieces are of Native American decent which is a source of inspiration for their work. Jaune Quick-to-See Smith is a Native American of French-Cree, Shoshone, and Salish blood, growing up on the
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Native American history is something that is swept under the rug and often not relevant in many history courses during K-12 schooling. Their culture, stories, and problems are an important part of the past that still exist today. Artist such as Smith and Longfish bring attention to these issues within their art using traditional and contemporary Native American symbols to explain past and present stories. The use of these forces every person who crosses path with their artwork to learn about what each detail of their works means. This appeals to me because these simple drawings and paintings contain so much more information than what the eye meets. These pieces are similar in the way they use symbols to portray a story but they tell different ones with unlike themes. Smith’s theme lies in the disconnect from American and Native American Culture. She shows this through the story of Wounded Knee and its relationship to the nineteenth century religious movement during a violent time between natives and the settler society. Longfish’s theme has to do with how fragile Native Americans culture is by comparing it to a deteriorating environment. Although neither of these artists come from reservation in the Midwest, their art work shares similar qualities and characteristics as artists we have discussed in class. Both use simple figure drawings
Native American history is something that is swept under the rug and often not relevant in many history courses during K-12 schooling. Their culture, stories, and problems are an important part of the past that still exist today. Artist such as Smith and Longfish bring attention to these issues within their art using traditional and contemporary Native American symbols to explain past and present stories. The use of these forces every person who crosses path with their artwork to learn about what each detail of their works means. This appeals to me because these simple drawings and paintings contain so much more information than what the eye meets. These pieces are similar in the way they use symbols to portray a story but they tell different ones with unlike themes. Smith’s theme lies in the disconnect from American and Native American Culture. She shows this through the story of Wounded Knee and its relationship to the nineteenth century religious movement during a violent time between natives and the settler society. Longfish’s theme has to do with how fragile Native Americans culture is by comparing it to a deteriorating environment. Although neither of these artists come from reservation in the Midwest, their art work shares similar qualities and characteristics as artists we have discussed in class. Both use simple figure drawings