This past week Congress approved the long-overdue Tribal Law and Order Act (more on this exciting new development later). It has inspired me to do a brief series on the contemporary American Indian--a complex and loaded phrase/idea/identity, so I'd love to hear your thoughts.
First post in the series, featuring the art of Fritz Scholder:
A member of the Luiseno tribe, artist Fritz Scholder (1937-2005) often said that he was "not Indian," and would never paint the Indian. But when his students had trouble painting the American Indian in an un-clichéd manner, he began his "Indian" series, painting the American Indian wearing flags, in cars, with beer cans in a pop-art style, becoming a major influence and subject of debate for later generations of Native art. His art, prolific and controversial, makes us think and rethink who the contemporary American Indian is.
At the National Museum of the American Museum in DC, I was introduced to Scholder's work and life last summer. I would often visit the exhibit after a long day's work. I was captured by the colors, unique perspective, and the use of distortion in the faces and figures. I am still amazed that for someone so ambivalent towards his heritage, Scholder moved its art tradition to brave, new places.
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