Burning of Clothes, Pinion Indian Reservation 1931

Frederick Monhoff made this print, 'Burning of Clothes, Pinion Indian Reservation,’ using an etching technique. It's all inky blacks, whites, and greys, with scratchy lines that conjure the scene. The artist, like a documentarian, captured a moment in time. I can see the dance, the flicker of the flames, the feeling of community. The people in the print become an active part of the fire ritual. With their arms outstretched, they look like they’re pushing against the flames. The scene, caught in black ink, shows a ritual of purification through fire. It reminds me of Beckmann’s prints, and of Kollwitz. Monhoff made a whole series of works about Native Americans, so it's clearly something he cared about. I think of artists today, still learning from the past, trying to connect and understand. It’s a long, slow conversation, an ongoing attempt to see and be seen.