1. Contemporary Native
American Art

2. Themes
• Many contemporary
Native American artists
continue to keep the
traditional styles of their
ancestors alive.
• Other artists call to
attention the way
Native Americans are
viewed in contemporary
society.
Wayne Eagleboy, We-the people, acryl and
barbed wire on buffalo skin, 1971

3. Mike Dart
• Cherokee Nation
• Basket Weaving
• Uses contemporary
materials as opposed to
traditional.
• Works, along with his
teacher, to bring back
traditional art making
techniques to the
Cherokee community.

4. Mike Dart
War Cry, 2008

5. Mike Dart
Large Gathering Basket, 2008

6. Maria Martinez
• Created internationally
known pottery
• Worked in traditional
method of the pueblo
indians.
• Original pueblo pottery
was created during the
neolithic period

7. Maria Martinez
Wedding Vase,
Ca. 1929

8. Maria Martinez
• Notice how crisp and
straight the line work is
in the design.

9. Juane Quick-To-See
Smith
• Raised on the Flathead
reservation.
• Contemporary Native American
artist not working in traditional
styles.
• Creating work which calls
attention to contemporary
struggles with Native Americans.
• Classically trained artist, not
trained through traditional Native
American practices.
B. 1940
• Works in a wide variety of media

10. Juane Quick-To-See
Smith
Trade (Gifts for Trading Land with White People), 1992

11. Juane Quick-To-See
Smith
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BtEJqvhos
w&edufilter=R77X1Y45qK10Rul3kxVhMw

12. Shan Goshorn
• Member of Eastern Band of
Cherokee Indians.
• Creates artwork to
addressing contemporary
issues concerning human
rights and Native American
stereotypes.
• Also creates work bringing
to point the injustices
Natives have served caused
by the government.

13. Shan Goshorn
• For example, Goshorn wove
“Pieced Treaty,” a basket in the
traditional Cherokee “spider’s
web” pattern, from paper printed
with tobacco agreements
between the state of Oklahoma
and the Cherokee Nation.
• “‘Pieced Treaty” refers to the
continual breaking of
agreements,” Goshorn said. “I
deliberately left the basket
unfinished because the
negotiations appear to be
ongoing.”
Pieced Treaty

14. Shan Goshorn
• Photograph of the Great
Smoky Mountains
combined with historical
map of Cherokee territory.
Traditionally, we used
natural landmarks to
establish boundaries.
Settlers brought a new
way of regarding land and
marking ownership.
Traditional pattern is
known as both mountain
and river design.
Our Lands Are Not Lines On Paper, 2012