Peyote Meeting 

Stephen Mopope, a Kiowa artist, made this painting of a Peyote Meeting at some point during his career. This work offers us a glimpse into the Native American Church and its syncretic blend of indigenous beliefs and Christian elements. Mopope was one of the “Kiowa Six,” a group of Native American artists from Oklahoma who gained recognition in the early 20th century. They were encouraged to produce art by Oscar Jacobson, director of the University of Oklahoma's School of Art, as a means of preserving elements of their cultural heritage and as a progressive educational project. Here we see figures adorned with feathers and ceremonial objects gathered around a fire, the visual codes representing the sacred rituals associated with the use of peyote. Mopope's painting invites us to reflect on the social conditions that shaped artistic production for Native American artists during this period, especially as external forces worked to eradicate Native American culture. Examining archival materials like letters, photographs, and institutional records, we see the way artists used their work to challenge these existing social norms and affirm the importance of their traditions.