NFS

Fritz Scholder studied under Oscar Howe and developed a keen sense of tradition and stylistic individuality. He also studied under Wayne Thiebaud and developed a strong familiarity with pop art, contemporary practice and world art history. Scholder’s work was fresh, bold and cutting edge.

Fritz Scholder is celebrated for challenging the pre-existing Eurocentric portrayal of Native Americans. Indians in Washington, D.C. is likely sourced from, or modeled after, the work of seminal photographers such as Mathew Brady and his straight-forward delegation photos, or Edward Curtis and his objectified romanticizations. 

In this masterpiece, Scholder depicts three Indigenous men dressed in a blend of Western attire and traditional garb. The figures are pressed between two vertical green bands. Their faces reveal an unnerving distortion, alluding to generations of horrific cultural trauma. The figures are wrought with emotion while transcending time and place to reveal a steadfast perseverance. Proudly waiting in a suspended setting, the men appear to be “stuck” between these two worlds. Why are they here? Have they traveled to advocate on behalf of their community? These warriors and elders have been forced to accommodate a western white society, yet they represent their cultural heritage in a visual act of resistance.

This work is a powerful and poignant commentary on history and the cultural, sociological, geographical and political manifestations that have been imposed upon Native populations. Simultaneously, Fritz Scholder celebrates Native identity and advocates for Native sovereignty.