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In the origins of rebellion through art, forced assimilation is an important theme because throughout history, cultures were slowly silenced, leading to artistic revolt.

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15th Century C.E - Flourishing Native American art before arrival of colonists

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15th Century C.E - Flourishing Native American art before arrival of colonists

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Before Europeans colonized North America, Native Americans had flourishing art traditions, designs, methods, and styles (Theartstory.org). American Indian art was often utilitarian (Dockstader). Many Native American Languages lacked the terms "art" or "artist"(Dockstader). The particular form that the art takes reflects the culture. For example, military societies have weaponry as a major art form or more ritualistic cultures had more ceremonial art (Dockstader). The materials used by Native Americans were natural and reflected their environment. wood, clay, all kinds of plants, shell, stone, minerals, bark, animal part, and more were used (Dockstader).

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These are thriving customs, meanings, and purposes of Native American art prior to any interaction with colonists. They provide something to compare later Native American culture to to see their silencing in process. This evidence connects to forced assimilation as a whole because it shows the true beauty and strength of a minority group on its own before the effects of other majority groups.

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16th century - Interaction between Native Americans and colonists

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16th century - Interaction between Native Americans and colonists

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After the arrival of colonists in North America, Native Americans and Europeans experienced pieces of each other's art. Europeans saw the utilitarian art as curiosities or arts and crafts and Native American artists began to adapt to the new materials and techniques brought in by the colonists including floral embroidery, beads, and silver smithing (Theartstory.org).

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This interaction between the two cultures shows how Native American art began to adapt to colonist's art. This is an example of forced assimilation because a minority culture is coming to resemble a majority group's values, behaviors, and beliefs. This initial interaction is a beginning to the silencing of Native Americans that will only worsen in the future.

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1800s - Native Americans loose their art

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1800s - Native Americans loose their art

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Native American art cultures are in devastation as a result of colonization. European collectors sought for Native American artifacts and articles were stolen and when not stolen, bought at very low prices (infoplease.com). Early collectors put great value into often mundane objects, surprising historic Native Americans (infoplease.com).

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A continuation of Native American silencing is seen in the collecting of Native American art through stealing and unfair purchases. When the colonists did this, they were taking important pieces of Native American culture out of its home and stripping it of its true meaning. It was especially silencing of the Native American culture because their art was often utilitarian and it was now being taken just to add to collections. This silencing connects back to forced assimilation because a majority group is changing the meaning of a minority group's art.

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19th century and beyond - Native American art harmed by industry

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19th century and beyond - Native American art harmed by industry

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Abject poverty in surviving Native Americans populations paired with the growing demand for their arts in industrialized countries has caused an increasingly large number of Native American artisans (infoplease.com). The art has become an industry serving tourists markets as well as discriminating collectors (infoplease.com). Examples of most sought-after Native American art include jewelry, eskimo sculpture, and textiles and ceramics of the Southwestern groups (infoplease.com).

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This is yet another continuation of the silencing of Native American culture. During this time, Native American art is becoming just another industrialized product for the benefit of majority groups. The true essence and meanings of their art like its utilitarianism and ceremonialism are still being stripped. This spreads the concept of forced assimilation all the way to the present, proving it has been a theme throughout history.

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21st century - Native American artists protest through art

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21st century - Native American artists protest through art

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Native American artists challenge the misconceptions on Native American art that the imbalance of power in early American history created. For example, Wendy Red Star of the Apsaalooke lineage makes self-portrait photographs that jokingly go along with the conflation of Native American culture(Billard). Merrit Johnson, a descendant of the Blackfoot and Kanienkehaka Tribes writes about how most people see Native American art as all "beads and feathers." Stereotypes like that do not acknowledge the diversity of Native American communities (Billard). Disregarding Native American diversity silences their artistic voices.

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In an attempt to address their silencing, artists of Native American culture are challenging and rebelling against the resulting cultural misconceptions. This is finally directly connecting artistic rebellion to all the pieces of history on this timeline. The artists are protesting against their silencing as a result of forced assimilation that began all the way back to the arrival of colonists. By doing this, they are connecting that period of time and everything in between it to now, showing again that silencing has indeed been a motif throughout history. In conclusion, the artistic revolt as a result of this cultural silencing proves that in the origins of rebellion through art, forced assimilation is an important theme.

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“Dockstader, Frederick J. “Native American Art.” Encyclopedia Britannica 14 Jan. 2021: n. pag. Print.”
https://www.britannica.com/art/Native-American-art

“The Progression of American Art Movements.” Theartstory.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2021.
https://www.theartstory.org/definition/american-art/history-and-concepts/

“North American Native Art: The Effects of European Contact.” Infoplease.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2021.
https://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/arts/visual/prehistoric-primitive/north-american-native-art/the-effects-of-european-contact

Billard, Jillian. “8 Contemporary Native American Artists Challenging the Way We Look at American History.” Artspace.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2021.
https://www.artspace.com/magazine/art_101/in_focus/contemporary-native-american-artists-challenging-the-way-we-look-at-american-history-55116

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Native American art, also called American Indian art, the visual art of the aboriginal inhabitants of the Americas, often called American Indians. For a further discussion of the visual art of the Americas produced in the period after European contact, see Latin American art.

The nature and elements of Native American art

The role of the artist

The very use of the word art suggests one of the basic differences between European or European-derived and American Indian concepts. For not only did few American Indian groups allow art to become a major way of life, as in the West, but many Native American languages even lack a term meaning "art" or "artist." If one wished to refer to a beautiful basket or a well-carved sculpture, it was usually necessary to rely upon such terms as "well-done," "effective," or perhaps "powerful" (in the magical sense). And the concept of an artist was largely of a person who was simply better at the job than was another. Generally, artists were accorded special significance only where wealth was a major factor in the culture. The elite of many cultures, whether wealthy in their own right or (more commonly) by having attained a high religious office, supported groups of artists who produced memorial and religious art.

Although American Indian people may not have considered artistic skill in terms of a vocation, the difference between a well-woven basket and a careless piece of work or a particularly well-designed carving and a crudely made example did not go unnoticed. Fine workmanship commanded a premium long before European contact, and with the advent of the monetary system, it was even more highly prized.

Collective versus individual art

The basic role of the American Indian artist is the same as that of the artist in any culture: to arouse an emotional response in his or her audience. In Native American cultures, the artist's ability to communicate successfully depended largely upon the recognition of the force of tradition. The social organization of the various tribes allowed less latitude for experimentation than Western cultures and usually compelled the artist to work in familiar channels. Yet, within this rigid framework of tradition, there was sometimes a surprising degree of freedom of expression. There are recorded instances of individuals having made considerable changes in the art (and the economy) of their tribes. In North America, perhaps the most striking have been the careers of Nampeyó, the famed Hopi potter, and María Martínez and Julián Martínez, of San Ildefonso pueblo. Through sheer individual talent these people achieved a personal triumph by developing a style that not only was copied by other artists but in time also was regarded as "traditional" in that particular village. Although there is no way of knowing how often this happened in the past, there are suggestions that it occurred at Mimbres, among the Haida slate carvers, and quite possibly in some areas of the so-called Mound Builder cultures of the Southeast.

Origins of designs

The origins of most Native American decorative designs cannot be traced accurately today; most of them are lost in antiquity. Many obviously came from natural forms, while others are simple developments of geometric or lineal motifs. Some have become so interwoven with alien concepts-Western, after the advent of the European, for example-that it is impossible to completely unravel their sources. There is evidence, however, that some of the original forms were creations of individual artists and were often the result of a vision quest. To the American Indian the world of the vision quest is mysterious, a place where the soul can leave the body, participate in many strange activities, and see many unusual sights. Since many of the designs seen or creatures encountered during the vision quest are regarded as protective forms or spirit-beings, these would be carefully re-created during waking hours. Non-artists would occasionally describe their dream creatures to a designated artist so that they could be recorded on hide, in wood, or in stone. But since these supernatural visions were extremely personal, they were usually recorded by the individual; hence, they vary tremendously in aesthetic quality.

Because art designs were regarded as personal property, an artist could buy a design or receive it as a gift from its creator, but to appropriate and use it for his or her own purposes was taboo.

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Native American art | History, Styles, & Facts

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Native American art, the visual art of the aboriginal inhabitants of the Americas, often called American Indians. Though there are a great variety of forms and designs in American Indian art, many art objects are often intended to perform a service-for example, to act as a container or to provide a means of worship.