5 Prominent Native American Artists in Oklahoma featured for the Holidays

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK December 3 2003--The Eleanor Kirkpatrick Gallery features Contemporary Works by 5 Prominent Native American Artists through January 3, 2004. This exhibit brings together 5 noteworthy artists from distinctive Native American Tribes, each expressing themselves through the contemporary language of art. The featured artists are: Matthew Bearden, Marwin Begaye, Gerald Cournoyer, Shan Goshorn, and Brent Greenwood. Each artist has a strong connection to their identity; therefore cultural nuances can be found in the artwork in both obvious and subtle ways. The Eleanor Kirkpatrick Gallery is located in City Arts Center at State Fair Park, 3000 General Pershing Blvd., OKC, OK, 73107-6202. For more information call 405.951.0000. Gallery hours are Monday - Thursday 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. and Friday - Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m

    "Connected Voices" brings together 5 prominent artists who share the common identity of being classified as "Native Americans." Each artist personally explores their individual heritage with distinctive approaches, and yet all utilize contemporary techniques and materials to illustrate the evolving nature of their individual cultures. "Audiences can sometimes have a stereotypical perception regarding what ‘Native American Art' should look like," says Public Relations Director, Shoshana Wasserman. "One of the goals in combining these contemporary artists is to challenge audiences to expand their interpretations of ‘Native American Art' and to encourage patrons to recognize the significant distinctions between Native cultures. Oklahoma, was previously known as ‘Indian Territory' and yet its original artisans are rarely presented in galleries that are not primarily dedicated to the presentation of "Native American Art," states Ms Wasserman. One of City Arts Center's primary missions is to promote and display Oklahoma which this exhibition accomplishes. This exhibition showcases these treasured Oklahoma artists, who have found tremendous success outside of the state boundaries.

    Gallery Director, Troy Wilson says, "These are effective artists because they explore their personal voices within the context of today's art culture." The works are technically strong, well-executed, and aesthetically engaging. They offer a glimpse into evolving Native cultures; making us acutely aware of the distinctive rich cultures within the state and the world at large. Showcasing this work together will illustrate the variety of imagery and applications used by each artist to convey their personal experience," says Wilson.

Matthew Bearden's large scale canvases are a powerful combination of bold Indian figures accentuated with modern vivid colors. Symbolic objects and manipulated perspectives create a strong artistic statement, taking his work beyond mere portraiture. Historically accurate figures juxtaposed against atypical backgrounds create a level of intrigue that captivates the viewer.

Marwin Begay's mixed media works on paper utilize color theory, markings made by non-traditional instruments/materials and self imposed obstacles to assist him as he translates Navajo prayers and songs into a unique form of Abstract Expressionism. Tones and inflections within songs become the guiding marks embedded in the artwork. The self enforced limitations he establishes in the creation process, generate a spontaneity that is representative of the random rhythm of life. Culturally specific symbolic clues are subtly screen printed into the backgrounds, offering contextual clues to the translation process.

Gerald Cournoyer's large hand built canvases are representational of the traditional Lakota and Dakota Sioux Buffalo Robes given to each child in historic days, and the current tradition of giving "Star Quilts" to children. He likens the long held tradition of giving the robes or quilts to Sioux children with his canvases that he gives as his artistic expression. Gerald reinterprets geometric Beadwork and Quillwork designs found in Sioux regalia with his painterly language and sophisticated color palette. His works have a strong graphic quality with repetition of patterns, which signify life's events.
Shan Goshorn's combination of slightly blurred and indistinct figurative elements superimposed on culturally appropriate landscapes, illustrates the traditional and ongoing belief of Indian people as care givers to Mother Earth. She places these ethereal figures in landscapes, combining geographic environment with her knowledge of tribal relationships, making her photographs compositionally and historically accurate. The hand tinting with soft colored pigments creates a soft quality which translates to viewer in a quietly spoken yet powerful message.

Brent Greenwood's mixed media paintings derive their inspiration from historical events, emotional or spiritual traditions and his interpretation of Indians in the 21st Century. His figurative works incorporate his trademark "faceless personalities," requiring the viewer to be an active participant and impose their own portrayal of the individual's characteristics. However, each figure has a distinguishing personality with insinuated visible features. Other paintings rely on color theory to convey mood, emotion or spiritual belief. Specific traditional cultural items such as "Elks teeth or pieces of cloth" are frequently embedded into these works to make a statement in a very simplistic and subtle manner. Other paintings incorporate contemporary imagery such as "automobiles or coffee cups" to show the correlation between tribes in the 21st Century and their relationship to contemporary times.

    This exhibit is sponsored in part by the Allied Arts, Classical KCSC 90.1 FM, Oklahoma Arts Council and the Kirkpatrick Family Fund.




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