Dakota Modern: The Art of Oscar Howe at the Portland Art Museum

I thought the Oscar Howe exhibit was really well curated. 

The title, "Dakota Modern" indicates the direction that he will go, but tracing the path of how he got there is where the insight comes in. It starts with some of his early, traditional work. 

You see that he is skilled in that style, and then you start to see subtle changes.

You also read of the influence his grandmother's storytelling had on him, so you know what the roots are, but you can see innovation and the abstraction grows.

And then it fools you. One of the last paintings displayed appears to be an abstract, but it depicts a couple under a blanket, a courtship practice, and so is both traditional and more literally representative.

As part of the retrospective, there are photos of his public works, as on the Corn Palace and the Carnegie Library in Mitchell South Dakota.

The painting that struck me most was this:

Without getting closer and reading I viscerally knew it represented Wounded Knee.

Some works are more abstract, and some more representative, but they meet the needs of the work.

Howe rejected being called a cubist, and yet he was rejected from an art contest as not meeting the criteria for the "traditional" Indian style. 

His letter of protest not only expressed his own feelings but influenced other artists. 

It makes sense that he spend some time teaching as an artist in residence. I appreciated the inclusion of this explanation, stated as a poem, from Jaune Quick-To-See Smith, one of the painters who learned from him.

Divide and fill the space

The problem is space
he said,
I have studied space.
How do you study space?
You take a piece of paper.
You study the paper.
The paper is space.
What he was saying
is that the space itself
is the important part of the painting.
The actual drawing and coloring
divides and fills the space.
Almost as in a religious ceremony.
That is the Howe method
of teaching.
 

"Dakota Modern" will be at the Portland Art Museum through May 14th.

https://portlandartmuseum.org/exhibitions/dakota-modern/

 
I just treated these last week, but for anyone who missed it...

Accessibility: There are elevators and there is an entrance that can be used by wheelchairs and other mobility devices, but they require significant detour. I believe there is room for improvement here.

Also, I am more aware of how prohibitive the $25 admission can be. There are some programs in place, and I went on a free day, but here is more room for improvement.

https://portlandartmuseum.org/plan-your-visit/admission-access-programs/

COVID: There were some masks, but it was not strictly enforced. Distancing has to do a lot of the work these days.

Also, if you go, make sure to check out the Dakota Modern: The Art of Oscar Howe, through May 14th. I will be posting about it next week.

https://portlandartmuseum.org