There are five in total-three of which are part of a set. This series focuses on taking a common item, a book, and reconstructing it to relate towards Native American perspectives. Since many tribes never had a writing system, I felt that adjusting and creating books helped start the shift within my project to utilize western objects and re-imagine them into a different light.
The first, titled Dance, is an accordion fold book. Approximately 2”x3”x116”, the book starts with black covers with the title written in white. When opening it, sunset colors radiate out from the center with black on the back for the night sky. On every other page is a small outline of a powwow women’s fancy dancer, mimicking animation frames. Powwow dancing has become a contemporary part of Native American lives and pan-indianism.
The second book, titled 1491-1493, is also an accordion book. This book is an altered book, meaning it consists of an already existing book that has been taken apart and put back together. Approximately 4”x5”x60”, one side has vibrant colors and clear lithograph prints, while the other side is worn down and faded. The book used was “Custer Died for your Sins: An Indian Manifesto” (1969) by Vine Deloria Jr., a Native American author and historian who wrote pieces such as “Behind the Trail of Broken Treaties”(1974) and “Spirit and Reason” (1999). His work consists of civil rights issues and arguments that interpret tribal law and sovereignty.
The last three books, titled Past, Present, Future, are the largest of the series, and have the most factual based information within. Stylized as a fold out book at 18”x4 1/2” and 18”x 29 1/2” when unfolded, the three layers to the books tap into both historic and modern perspectives of the Native American experience.
These books offer a broad look into Native American perspectives and became the stepping stone in how I wanted to convey thoughts and ideas into modern items. This would eventually lead to the expansion of the project to include proposal drawings.The topics that were much more specific became part of the painting series.
