David W. Penney – författare

This timely book surveys the artistic traditions of indigenous North America, from those of ancient cultures to the work of modern artists. The text is organized geographically, covering tribes as wide-ranging as the Navajo, Cheyenne, Chumash, Tsimshian and Inuit, and draws upon Native American history, the testimonies of oral tradition and the latest research in North American archaeology.Native American art is often discussed simply as a cultural production, but this book focuses as much as possible on the individual artists, their roles in society, and the cultural and social contexts of the objects they created, whether ‘traditional’, ‘tourist’ or contemporary. The author also examines the tension between artistic practices that have spanned thousands of years and the startlingly fresh innovations that have resulted from historical circumstance.

Accompanying a major exhibition, this stunning volume serves as an introduction to North American Indian art and a rare opportunity to see this comprehensive and superb private collection. A glorious testament to the infinite beauty, diversity, and historical significance of Native American culture, Indigenous Beauty presents outstanding examples of art made by tribes across the North American continent. This aesthetically rich and inclusive collection offers a broad view of American Indian art, including sculpture from the Northwest Coast; ancient ivories from the Bering Strait region; Yup’ik and Alutiiq masks from the Western Arctic; Katsina dolls from the Southwest Pueblos; Southwest pottery; sculptural objects from the Eastern Woodlands; Eastern regalia; Plains regalia and pictographic arts; and Western baskets. David Penney’s introduction and texts by other renowned experts offer insight into the visual and material diversity of the collection, providing a greater understanding of the social and cultural worlds from which these works came. This magnificent survey is both an invaluable resource and a visual pleasure.

The art contained in this portfolio—all from the renowned Chandler-Pohrt Collection—includes colorful men’s and women’s clothing, buckskin and porcupine quill bags, woven sashes, jewelry, smoking pipes, and other decorative and ceremonial objects, all made between 1800 and 1920. The design and craftsmanship are witness to the creative spirit that endured even in the face of continual governmental attempts at forced assimilation. Replete with twenty-four beautifully printed, unbound, full-color plates, Art of the American Indian Frontier opens the door to the rich world of North American Woodlands and Plains Indian art.