One of the most terrible aspects of our situation today is that none of us feel that we are authentic. We do not feel that we are real Indians....For the most part we feel guilty, and try to measure up to the white man’s definition of ourselves.
Jimmie Durham
This dissertation will analyse and challenge perceived ideas around what is considered “traditional” North American Indian art, and argue that Native art tradition in the European sense only began amongst Native peoples upon contact with white settler artists. This is crucial in understanding the development of Indian painting in particular; as it was not practised as a form of expression pre-contact. I propose the cross-appropriation that occurred from the 1920s onward, enabled Native …show more content…
Brody gives a very lucid account of pictorial developments throughout what he calls varying “art areas” of the United States. For easier classification Brody divides these areas into 5 sections: The East, The West, The Northwest Coast, The Plains and The South West. Because of the diversity of peoples and their varying cultural traditions this is an accessible way to group peoples who shared similar cultural customs. It is important when trying to understand the development of modern Indian art to remember that although cultural similarities often overlapped, the current perception of Indian identity is shaped by a sort of forced homogenisation that came about through settlers desire to annihilate the Native and take full possession of land and resources. This resulted in the loss of individual groups and their varying art “traditions”. …show more content…
Hewett, director of the School of American Research, the Museum of New Mexico, a professor at the university of Southern California and chairman of the Department of Anthropology of the University of New Mexico to do so. Hewett moved in the educated white circles of the time and he also knew art. By this it is easy to surmise that Hewett saw a chance to capitalize on a “newly discovered” art form. This strongly suggests the invention of a Native art tradition as opposed to the renewal of one. The paintings being produced in the early twentieth century had very little or no affinity to pre 1900 pictorial modes or functions amongst Native
Jimmie Durham
This dissertation will analyse and challenge perceived ideas around what is considered “traditional” North American Indian art, and argue that Native art tradition in the European sense only began amongst Native peoples upon contact with white settler artists. This is crucial in understanding the development of Indian painting in particular; as it was not practised as a form of expression pre-contact. I propose the cross-appropriation that occurred from the 1920s onward, enabled Native …show more content…
Brody gives a very lucid account of pictorial developments throughout what he calls varying “art areas” of the United States. For easier classification Brody divides these areas into 5 sections: The East, The West, The Northwest Coast, The Plains and The South West. Because of the diversity of peoples and their varying cultural traditions this is an accessible way to group peoples who shared similar cultural customs. It is important when trying to understand the development of modern Indian art to remember that although cultural similarities often overlapped, the current perception of Indian identity is shaped by a sort of forced homogenisation that came about through settlers desire to annihilate the Native and take full possession of land and resources. This resulted in the loss of individual groups and their varying art “traditions”. …show more content…
Hewett, director of the School of American Research, the Museum of New Mexico, a professor at the university of Southern California and chairman of the Department of Anthropology of the University of New Mexico to do so. Hewett moved in the educated white circles of the time and he also knew art. By this it is easy to surmise that Hewett saw a chance to capitalize on a “newly discovered” art form. This strongly suggests the invention of a Native art tradition as opposed to the renewal of one. The paintings being produced in the early twentieth century had very little or no affinity to pre 1900 pictorial modes or functions amongst Native