Object number2021.19.a

Indian Men Wear Shirts and Ties

Date1997

Artist Jaune Quick-To-See Smith (Confederated Salish and Kootenai Nation, 1940 - 2025)

Artist Gail Deery

Printer Lynne Allen (Lakota (Teton Sioux), born 1949)

CultureSalish (Flathead), Confederated Salish and Kootenai Nation

MediumLithograph with pulp painting, diptych

EditionEdition of 8. Collaborating papermaker: Gail Deery. Collaborating Master Printer: Lynne Allen

DimensionsSheet: 41 1/2 x 29 1/4 in. (105.4 x 74.3 cm)

Credit LinePurchase, gift of Mrs. Frederick Ferris Thompson, by exchange

On View

Not on view

Period20th

Classification(s)

SignedLR in pencil

InscribedInscribed (verso, LRC, in pencil: 1996.0233.002/Smith, J/RCIPP

Markingswatermark LRC

Vassar Exhibitions

American Impressions: Nation in Prints

Label TextJaune Quick-to-See Smith considers herself a “cultural arts worker,” gliding between the interconnected roles of artist, curator, and activist over her long career. With a sharp sense of humor, Smith emphasizes the vibrant presence of Indigenous communities that continue to survive and resist colonial violence. In this two-part print, the artist celebrates the resilient adaptability of Native cultures. Using hand-made paper, Smith rendered a shirt and pair of moccasins. These were pasted onto a sheet printed with images of ties and socks reproduced from advertisements. According to the works’ titles, both elements represent Native clothing, moccasins as much as Christmas socks. These prints are a witty assertion of the Indigenous capacity to nurture historical traditions while being contemporary. However, notice how Smith treats each accessory differently. Her shirt and shoes are full of life: hand-crafted, colorful, and energetic. Meanwhile, the ties and socks are gray, as if drained of color by mass production.

Terms

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email loebcollections@vassar.edu