What is Indigenous Art? Who are the contemporary Indigenous artists and how would you describe their work? To help answer these questions, we begin our study of Indigenous Art by viewing the work of Anglo artists in the 19th and early 20th centuries depicting Native Americans over a period of almost 200 years. We will view this work in both fine arts and photography art forms, noting that collections of the photographs of Indigenous people from this time period can be found in some museums today. Our  historical view of the work of Indigenous artists in the late 19th Century and early 20th Century also includes Ledger art, painting, and photography.

With this brief history of  Indigenous art, we move to contemporary Indigenous artists. We will view their artistry based on several themes:  Survivance, Nation and Indigenous Visualities. Each theme suggests a distinct and interesting way of the artist viewing the world. We also will view the work of artists in emerging new fields and methodology. Throughout this historical view, we note the growing public recognition of Indigenous artists and their work.

Margaret Mukherjee has had a long and interesting career in higher education including working with faculty at universities in central and eastern Europe, and Asia. She is a Professor Emerita at Montclair State University, New Jersey. She holds a PhD in Urban Planning and Policy Development and an MA in Textiles, Clothing and Related Arts. Her undergraduate degree is from Cornell University. She has led several other BOLLI courses on American art movements and American artists, the most recent ones being Graffiti and Street Art;  N.C. Wyeth, Illustrator and Painter, 1882 - 1945 and Indigenous Art in North America.

https://brandeis.zoom.us/j/4806021524? pwd=U0crZlNoMThTK1ZxaEl0cGlMaThXUT09

Zoom Meeting ID: 480 602 1524

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•  Session 1 (March 10) Introductions, Overview and a Sampling of Topics

• Session 2 (March 17) Initial Visions and Visual Interchanges. Indigenous art beginning with the work of Anglo artists depicting Native Americans during a period of almost 200 years.

• Session 3 (March 24)  Depictions of The Lives and Work of Early Indigenous Artists. Early Indigenous art: 19th Century Ledger Art, Painting and Photography

• Session 4 (March 31)  Collections  (Two Parts) Guest speaker on the preservation of paintings, the Harvard Art Musums. Class participants speaking about their Indigenous arts and crafts collections.

• Session 5 (April 7) Early Contemporary Indigenous Artists

April 14 - Spring Break

• Session 6 (April 21) Contemporary Indigenous Art : Survivance

• Session 7 (April 28) Contemporary Indigenous Art: Land and Landscape

•  Session 8 (May 5) Contemporary Indigenous Art : Nation as a Theme

• Session 9 (May 12) Contemporary Indigenous Art : Indigenous Visualities and  Visualizing the Future

• Session 10 (May 19)  Collecting and Displaying Indigenous Art:  Museums Today. 

• RESOURCES

Session One- Overview and Introductions

Session Two - Initial Visions and Visual Interchanges

Charles Milton Bell 

Edward S. Curtis  

Seth Eastman

Henry Inman

Charles Bird King

Alfred Jacob Miller  

Antonio Zeon Shindler

Juilian Vannerson

Will Wilson  

Session Three - Early Depictions of the Lives and Work of Indigenous Artists

Spencer Asah (Kiowa Six) 

James Auchiah (Kiowa Six)

Carl (R.C.) Gorman 

Benjamin B.A. Haldane

Jack Hokeah (Kiowa Six)

Lois Smoky Kaulaity (Kiowa Six)

Maria and Julian Martinez

Lee Marmon

Stephen Mopope (Kiowa Six)

George Morrison 

Horace Poolaw 

Monroe Tsatoke (Kiowa Six) 

Richard Ray Whitman 

Session Four - Collections 

Session Five- Early Contemporary Indigenous Artists

Rick Bartow 

T.C. Cannon

Oscar Howe

Daphne Odjig

Fritz Scholder  

Kent Monkman

 Session Six - Contemporary Indigenous Art: Survivance

Nicholas Galanin

Shan Goshorn

Zig Jackson 

Tom Jones

James Luna

Larry McNeil

Jaune-Quick-To-See 

Wendy Red Star

Hulleah Tsinhahjinnie

Marie Watt (also mentioned in Session Seven)

Session Seven-  Contemporary Indigenous Art: Focus on Land and Landscape

Andrea Carlson

Joe Feddersen

Kay Walkingstick

Session Eight - Contemporary Indigenous Art: Nation

Jeremy Dennis

Seth Eastman 

Sky Hopinka

Kapulani Landgraf 

Cara Romero

Kali Spitzer 

Kilii Yuhan  

Session Nine- Contemporary Indigenous Art: Visualities, Visualizing the Future

Mercedes Dorame

Jeffrey Gibson (also mentioned in Session Seven)

Kimowan Metchewais 

Dylan McLaughlin

Meryl McMaster

Caroline Monnet

Laura Ortman 

Jolene Rickard

Sarah Sense

Rose B. Simpson (also mentioned in Session Seven)

Dyani White Hawk

Session Ten - Museums and Collections

Alan Michelson

Alphabetical Listing of Artists 

Spencer Asah (Kiowa Six) - Session Two

James Auchiah (Kiowa Six) - Session Two

Rick Bartow - Session Five

Charles Milton Bell - Session Two

T.C. Cannon - Session Five

Andrea Carlson - Session Ten

Edward S. Curtis -Session Two

Mercedes Dorame - Session Nine

Jeremy Dennis - Session Eight

Seth Eastman - Session Two

Joe Feddersen - Session Seven

Jeremy Frey - Session Ten

Nicholas Galanin - Session Six

Jeffrey Gibson - Session Nine

Carl (R.C.) Gorman -  Session Three

Shan Goshorn - Session Six

Benjamin B.A. Haldane - Session Three

Jack Hokeah (Kiowa Six) - Session Three

Henry Inman - Session Two

Sky Hopinka - Session Eight

Oscar Howe - Session Five

Zig Jackson - Session Six

Tom Jones - Session Six

Lois Smoky Kaulaity (Kiowa Six) - Session Three

Charles Bird King - Session Two 

Kapulani Landgraf - Session Eight

James Luna - Session Six

Maria and Julian Martinez - Session Three

Lee Marmon - Session Three

Larry McNeil - Session Six

Alan Michelson - Session Ten

Kent Monkman - Session Five

Caroline Monnet - Session Nine

Kimowan Metchewais - Session Nine

Dylan McLaughlin - Session Nine

Meryl McMaster - Session Nine

Alfred Jacob Miller -Session Two

Caroline Monnet - Session Nine

Stephen Mopope (Kiowa Six) - Session Three

George Morrison - Session Three

Daphne Odjig  - Session Five

Laura Ortman - Session Nine

Horace Poolaw - Session Three

Jaune-Quick-To-See - Session Six

Wendy Red Star - Session Six

Jolene Rickard - Session Nine

Cara Romero - Session Eight

Sarah Sense - Session Nine

Fritz Scholder - Session Five

Antonio Zeon Shindler - Session Two

Rose B. Simpson - Session Nine

Kali Spitzer - Session Eight

Monroe Tsatoke (Kiowa Six) - Session Two

Hulleah Tsinhahjinnie - Session Six

Juilian Vannerson - Session Two

Kay Walkingstick - Session Seven

Marie Watt- Session Six

Dyani White Hawk - Session Nine

Richard Ray Whitman - Session Three