History of Native American Art
Many forms of art have always been part of our Navajo culture. Many arts have strong ties to tribal cultures and nature. Rock art in the form of pictograph and petroglyphs have been part of our culture, whether it was left by Anasazi or left by our ancestors. Our ancestors used petroglyphs as a form of communication way before modern writing systems were developed. Some of these rock arts can still be found in remote canyons on the reservations. Eventually, Navajos developed their artistic skills in many types of medium, including textiles (weaving), sculptures, paintings, pottery making and jewelry making. More recently, some Navajos have developed their artistic skills in filmmaking, and graphic-art imaginings that are strongly influenced by comic book animation. Navajo and Native American art is constantly evolving, growing and changing, but the one constant is that it shows that Native cultures are still alive today.
Before the Common Era
Many Native American Art dates back to before the Common Era in the form of cave paintings and cave carvings. Petroglyphs found in Nevada predate the Common Era, along with a red zig-zag found on a Bison skull in Oklahoma. Numerous abstract designs, including some with repeating dots and arches, were found in northwestern Nevada, are believed to be the oldest known petroglyphs. Other early art also includes a well-dated pictograph of a painted herringbone in the Mojave Desert. Around Louisiana, mound complexes have been discovered, as well as stone work, flint knapping, earthenware, and effigy, conical, and platform mounds. In Utah and Nevada, art included porcupine quills that were used as binding agents. Porcupine quillwork is an art form of textile embellishment.
Common Era
At the beginning of the Common Era, ceramics, shell graving, textiles, woodcarving, and stonework were some common artwork featured by Mississippi cultures. In Ohio, the Great Serpent Mound was built around 1070. Around this era, the art of woodcarving by the Calusa culture thrived in Florida. Around the same time period, the pueblos taught the Navajos the techniques required to weave.
19th century
In the 19th century, modern traditional Native American art began to flourish, especially with the decline of the fur trade. Many Native Americans began to develop skills in painting, quillwork, embroidery, and beadwork. More Native Americans developed artistic skills, which allowed them to enjoy fame. Included were realist oil painter Zachery Vincent, and illustrator David Cusick. David, along with his brother, who was a watercolor painter, established the early Iroquois Realist Style of paintings. David was also able to publish an early, possibly the first, account of Native American History and myth called David Cusick’s Sketches of Ancient American History of the Six Nations. The first known Navajo silversmith was Atsidi Sani.
Around this time, ledger art became more prominent among Plains tribes. The women of the Plains Indians traditionally drew or painted narratives on paper, cloth or animal skins. Ledger art flourished with the increased supply of ledger books, pencils, ink, crayons, and watercolor through traders and agent. The new tools allowed the artist to add more details. Some of the most famous ledger artists were Plains Indians who were imprisoned at Ft. Marion, Florida. As part of their Western Education, the prisoners were provided with paper, colored pencils, and water colors. When the prisoners were eventually released, most of them went home. However, some moved to the east coast to pursue a career as ledger artists.
The resurrection of Hopi pottery by Nampeyo and her husband. Nmpeyo used ancient techniques for making pottery. Her techniques were inspired by sherds found at 15th-century Sikyatki ruins. Navajo weavers also established more elaborate designs such as the eye-dazzler pattern with Germantown yarns.
20th Century
This century provided a quick advancement of Native American art and artists. Programs in schools, post-secondary schools for artists, openings of museums dedicated to Native artists, and Indian markets showcasing Native American artists were established. The earliest art programs include the Carlisle Indian schools Native American art program, and photography classes. New Mexico became the center for the pueblo Painting movement. In 1922, the museum of New Mexico sponsored the first Santa Fe Indian Market. In 1958, the Heard Museum Guild of Phoenix, Arizona held its first Annual Indian Fair and Market. Ottawa, San Francisco, Pawhuska (OK), and New York opened up museums that showcased Native American artists. One museum in Santa Fe, New Mexico was especially dedicated to Native American contemporary artists.
A major milestone in the history of Native American art was when laws and regulations were passed to protect Native American art toward the end of the 20th century. The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act states that any federally funded institution or agency, including federally funded museums, has to return cultural items to respective tribes. Cultural items include bones, funeral items, sacred items, and objects of cultural patrimony excavated on federal or tribal lands. The Indian Arts and Crafts act prohibits anyone from falsely claiming and misrepresenting that an artwork was produced by a Native American in Indian Markets.
Dine History of Art
Just like other Native American artists, Navajo artists are known for their strong connections to the rich culture and ties to nature. Respect for nature is an important part of the Navajo culture. Because of the strong ties to nature, Navajos always attend their artwork with songs and prayers. The most interesting part about traditional Navajo art is that it has been woven into Navajo Oral history, especially Navajo rug weaving. According to Navajo Oral History, Spider Woman gifted the Navajos with the art of weaving.
Every aspect of art is thought through and carefully produced. Within the last two decades, art that Navajos mostly identify with or associate with such as jewelry, rugs, pottery, and baskets were considered artifacts. Because of the label, the “artifacts” were housed in ethnographic museums. Today, there is high demand to acquire Native American and Navajo art so it can be displayed by curators in art museums.
Navajos are known for their ornate silver and turquoise jewelry. However, the art of the silversmith is not indigenous to Navajos. Working in silver was an art adopted by Navajos from the Mexicans around the 1800’s. The first Navajo silversmith was Atsidi Sani (Old Silversmith) who learned the craft from a Mexican named Naakai Tsosi (Thin Mexican). The silversmiths adapted the art by creating some unique designs utilizing new techniques with traditional designs. The art of creating turquoise and silver jewelry is still prominent on the reservation. Squash blossom became a trademark for turquoise and silver jewelry design.
Navajos believe that Spider Woman, a deity in Navajo Oral history, taught the Navajos the art of weaving. When the first loom was created, the cords ran between the earth and the sky. The weaving tools consisted of sunlight, lightning, white shells, and crystal. However, the history of Navajo rug weaving, according to Western society, was another art that was adopted by the Navajos from the Pueblos between 1000 A.D. and the 17th Century. The Navajos learned weaving from the Pueblos when they migrated into the four corners area where the Pueblos resided. Originally, the rugs were woven as blankets using cotton. Cotton was obtained by through the local trade routes with the Spanish people. Eventually, the Navajos started using wool after the introduction of sheep. Navajos learned to spindle wool from the sheep into yarn to use in weaving rugs. Because of tedious work of spindling yarn from wool, and the time it took to weave a rug, the rugs were very rare and sought after blankets. The original rugs were known as chief blankets because only prominent figures in Navajo and other Native cultures could afford them. The chief blankets had minimal patterns, and horizontal stripes. Eventually, Navajo rug designs evolved with the introduction of commercially dyed wool that was transported from Germantown, Pennsylvania. The transport of commercially dyed wool became easier after the expansion of the Santa Fe Trail and railroad. The demand for Navajo rugs increased between 1890 and 1910. European-American merchants and traders started having influences on the patterns. For example, the traders encouraged Navajo weavers to incorporate Caucasus patterns and motifs. Eventually, the Navajo weavers started creating distinct designs and styles. The “Two Gray Hills” style was predominately black and white with traditional patterns. “Teec Nos Pos” style is very colorful and very extensive patterns. “Ganado” style is mostly red patterns with black and white. Crystal, Wide Ruins, Chinle, Klagetoh, and Red Mesa are other patterns. Today, many Navajos still practice the art of weaving.
Contemporary Art
What is Native American contemporary art? What constitutes Native American contemporary art? It’s more than the traditional art people associate with Native American arts because people tend to want to see and to grab on to what they understand about Native American cultures and life, but that is not reality. What they want to see is the traditional art including beads, silver, turquoise, pottery, and rugs. But, in many instances, Navajo contemporary art includes sculptures, paintings, and performing arts that challenge the perceptions and notions of what Native American art “should” be. Furthermore, contemporary artists consider themselves storytellers and information holders. Although Native American art may be considered progressive, most artists draw from their indigenous past or frame their work through modern Native American realities. The art is conveyed in the form of poetic expressions, visual metaphors, wit, and mystery that investigate deeper meaning of what it means to be indigenous in the modern era. Contemporary art is meant to bring positive change and thinking that help us understand indigenous cultures in the 21st century. The artists defy labels by covering complex issues.
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