The world has been a very serious place lately. The Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis has a response and it begins with a bit of laughter.
The Indiana museum will present the exhibition Laughter and Resilience: Humor in Native American Art, which will explore the role of humor, satire, parody and general silliness that is baked into many works by Native American artists.
Donald F. Montileaux (Oglala Sioux), Fast Food/Super Sized, 2002, pencil, ink on paper. Gift of Carole Leve Tavel, 2018.21.4.
Fredrick Cruz (Tohono O’odham), Untitled (Dog with Hat), ca. 2009, white and green yucca, devil’s claw, and beargrass,
10¼ x 8½"
“Humor is a complex expression. Some of us respond to the critical wit from satirical movies. Others enjoy reading a favorite comic strip, or adding playful elements to their day-to-day lives,” says Dorene Red Cloud (Oglala Lakota), assistant curator of Native American art. “Humor can be deadpan and yet very witty, and it can be hard to tell if someone is poking fun at you. We examine many different types of humor in the show, including the role of the Trickster figure in many cultures. Some see him as a cultural hero or trader, and others seem him as a coyote, rabbit, spider or raven. He’s often shown being funny or doing inappropriate things. Then we have clowns, who are the personification of the Trickster. These figures often teach principles, but they also can be silly, with their baggy pants or dropping ice cream cones or making fun of tourists.”
Shirley Benn (Hopi-Tewa) and Virgil Benn (Zuni), Untitled (Animal necklace), silver, shell, jet, coral and turquoise, 13½"
Heidi Brandow (Diné/Kanaka Maoli), Cute Monster Series, 2015,
mixed media, 10¼ x 24"
The show will feature a wide cross section of humorous works, from Ricardo Caté’s simple coyote comic strip and Vincent Craig’s black-and-white cartoon drawings to Heidi Brandow’s “cute monster” creations and Frederick Cruz’s dog-shaped basket. One of the works in the exhibition is Donald F. Montileaux’s 2002 ledger work Fast Food/Super Sized, which shows two riders chasing down buffalo under a design that is meant to evoke the arches logo used by McDonald’s.
Ricardo Caté (Santo Domingo), Untitled (Santa Fe Coyote), acrylic on canvas, 18 x 22"
The exhibition, which opens May 22 and runs through August 8, is traveling from the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian. Red Cloud had visited the museum in 2019 during Santa Fe Indian Market and knew she wanted it at the Eiteljorg. “Native American humor is very prevalent, and many Native Americans appreciate a good sense of humor. You poke fun of people you care about, and that’s certainly true in much of this work,” she says. “The show will feature humor that is both inward, toward Native Americans, and outward pointing. Many of the works are purely observations of the world and not meant to be insulting. The work can be lighthearted, but also very poignant.”
May 22-August 8, 2021
Laughter and Resilience: Humor in Native American Art
Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art
500 W. Washington Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204, (317) 636-9378, www.eiteljorg.org
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