Today, Yankton Sioux modernist painter, Oscar Howe, is recognized as one of the most influential American Indian artists of the twentieth century. Howe received many prizes and accolades during his career. (47) But a pivotal moment in 1958 led to his emergence as a key position responsible for broadening the boundaries of American Indian art.
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In 1958, Howe submitted a painting, Umine Wacipe: War and Peace Dance, to the Philbrook Art Center for consideration in the museum’s annual competition showcasing art by American Indians. Representative of Howe’s style at the time, the painting featured sharp, angular shapes in rich pink, blue, and purple hues that geometrically depicted five dancers. [A] The jurors for the competition rejected Howe’s submission, claiming it was “a fine painting . . . but not Indian.” The then widely held jurors shared the position that American Indian art should be based on the conventions of the Studio style. Works in this style depict traditional ceremonies, dance, and mythology and feature strong outlines and flat fields of color. [B] Howe’s deviation from the style, in particular his use of certain techniques, was perceived to be the result of European influences, which the jurors considered incompatible with authentic American Indian art.
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Howe displayed his work in more than sixty solo art shows. In an open letter, Howe argued that adhering and sticking to notions of tradition would suffocate innovation in American Indian art. Furthermore, he argued, his work did employ American Indian art conventions. The angular shapes in his painting, Howe noted, is actually derivative of the Dakota notion of tohokmu, the spider web.
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The Philbrook’s jurors conceded; they expanded the scope of the competition to internalize experimental art. [C] Although questions related to art and identity are still on people’s minds, Howe’s efforts continue to inspire confidence in many artists who might otherwise feel confined by tradition. [D]