Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, who died on January 24, 2023, at age 85, was a prominent artist, educator, and activist known for her impactful works that combined humor with sociopolitical critiques. An enrolled member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Nation, her art spanned five decades and focused on the injustices faced by Indigenous people in the U.S. She notably became the first Native American artist to have work acquired by the National Gallery of Art in 2020, making significant contributions to contemporary Indigenous art through her unique integration of traditional and modernist elements.
"Art should reveal the unknown," she said, "to those who lack the experience of seeing it."
Smith skillfully placed traditional Native symbols and tropes in conversation with modernist forms inspired by Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg.
Throughout her career spanning five decades, she illuminated the injustices faced by Indigenous people in the US and highlighted their lived daily experiences.
She was the first Native American artist whose work was acquired by the National Gallery of Art in 2020, showcasing her groundbreaking impact.
#indigenous-art #jaune-quick-to-see-smith #sociopolitical-commentary #contemporary-art #cultural-activism
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