Navajo Rider c. 1933

Curator: Look at how Young composes the landscape in this etching, "Navajo Rider," around 1933. There is a real focus on line and tone. Editor: Yes, my first impression is the dry, almost desolate mood it evokes, achieved through the artist's rather sparse application of ink on the plate. It speaks volumes. Curator: Absolutely. Thinking about Indigenous representation during the 1930s, one can appreciate how this work offers a glimpse into the lives of Indigenous communities of the American Southwest. The figures appear to be working, guiding livestock across the arid land. Editor: It is interesting how he uses cross-hatching to build up the shadows, giving weight to the foreground elements while the background remains much lighter, sketchier. Almost as if the plains go on forever... Curator: It’s equally crucial to note that while seemingly documenting a ‘real’ scene, the romanticization of Indigenous life was, and remains, a complicated matter. These visual narratives played a role in shaping public perception, often overshadowing the political and social challenges faced by these communities. How do we reconcile this visual story, in the grander history? Editor: Well, perhaps what the image offers is less "truth" and more a series of marks arranged just so, causing in the viewer a recognition of the subject? Like linguistic signs combining and creating meaning. Curator: Right, which leads us back to thinking about the reception of such images and the effect of that "recognition" over time. How that then translates to power. Editor: I see this technique creating an immense, unyielding sense of openness and light, which has moved my perspective to another horizon line. Thank you for your comments.