Contemporary Indian Art

Contemporary Indian Arts

The Southwest Indians of today are surprisingly fine artists, and they have made a superior contribution to the modern scene in American painting. One reason for this is many centuries of the development of a decorative art which will compete with any and all such arts in the world of a comparable cultural level.

Some of these Southwestern Indians started on the road to artistic success in a small way about two thousand years ago when they were cave men in the complete sense of the word. In northern Arizona, in the great dry caves hollowed out of sandstone cliffs, the semi-sedentary people of this area expressed an artistic feeling by decorating many of their simple articles of everyday use.

In time the simple designs took new form, or they were transferred to new expressions. Not only were baskets more ornately embellished in geometric life forms as well as in complicated line and triangle combinations, but also sandals, twined woven bags, head bands, trinkets to be worn, and other objects were effectively decorated. The field of weaving unquestionably took the lead in all art expression.

Soon there came a new expression, the making of pottery. Somewhere in his wanderings, the man of thenorth heard about these new and wonderful things made of clay. He told his wife about it, possibly, and she began to play around with the idea. Soon the idea "took," and a bowl in the shape of contemporary baskets was produced. Decoration? Why not copy the design on the basket also? And so she did. Now and again in copying the angular lines of the basket pattern however, the crude yucca brush of the artist slipped, for there was no technique control here as in basketry, and the angle became a curve. Imbued with the possibilities of this new and plastic material, the potter gradually weaned herself from traditional basket forms. She invented new ones, particularly as the demands on her increasing experiences in everyday existence made this necessary. New forms, curved lines, rectilinear designs, all were combined in ever increasing artistry through the centuries.

north heard about these new and wonderful things made of clay. He told his wife about it, possibly, and she began to play around with the idea. Soon the idea "took," and a bowl in the shape of contemporary baskets was produced. Decoration? Why not copy the design on the basket also? And so she did. Now and again in copying the angular lines of the basket pattern however, the crude yucca brush of the artist slipped, for there was no technique control here as in basketry, and the angle became a curve. Imbued with the possibilities of this new and plastic material, the potter gradually weaned herself from traditional basket forms. She invented new ones, particularly as the demands on her increasing experiences in everyday existence made this necessary. New forms, curved lines, rectilinear designs, all were combined in ever increasing artistry through the centuries.

The pueblo was taking form. This meant increased community responsibility as more and more people came to live together in the first American apartment houses. What the social, religious, and political implications of this new life in the ancient days were we can but suggest as we may draw from existing conditions among contemporary pueblo dwellers. But of this we can be reasonably