Native People, Art, & New Ideas Come Together: . In Active…
Native People, Art, & New Ideas Come Together:
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In Active Process, critique and creativity, time allows for everything. I didn’t know Indian Country Today newspaper used my images in their #NotYourMascot article. I’m honored.
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As an artist and curator I tire easily of most artistic & visual cliche’ metaphors. I often hope my photographic work helps people take a glimpse into a more powerful & positive reality of Native life here on the res. Not a glamour shot via new anthropology, but our reality with respect to the everyman and woman here on the res. The hardworking single Mother, the kid who skates for fun , not fame. The young lovers holding hands with oppression while looking to a future and the young displaced academic creating ideas to take “home” are all important.
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I never liked white lies and manipulation. I’ve seen enough “poverty porn”, “plight of the Red Man” and “Vanishing Race” anthropology / pity images to last a life time. How can Native kids become proud if all they’re ever shown is negative stereotype, thug, savage, artifact, anthropology & mascot images in American mass media? Even the noble red man photos stylings of history give us the sense that this time of Indian Power & Respect is now gone (never to return).
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This is false and Indian people are in a constant process of self-discovery, renewal, creativity and self-preservation NOW, whether you see it, understand it, like it, or not.
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Of course I do not have all the answers on how to address every issue that faces us all. I do have a mind to share and thank you for sharing yours (& time) with me. For inquiries about publishing the photography of Douglas Miles email dm1apache@me.com
Douglas MILES Artist / Photographer http://ift.tt/1c0ngkV ( all photos except group photo of Apache Concepts mural in Durango CO, c. Douglas Miles )
