White Man Runs Him 1974

Curator: So, before us we have Leonard Baskin’s 1974 work, "White Man Runs Him," a drawing rendered in ink on paper. It's a striking portrait. What are your initial thoughts? Editor: My gut reaction? Heavy. Like looking into a storm. The starkness of the ink just amplifies the intensity in his eyes, doesn’t it? Curator: Absolutely. The minimalist style employed only amplifies its profound meaning. Baskin here gives us a glimpse into the life of White Man Runs Him, a Crow scout who famously aided General Custer before the Battle of Little Bighorn. Editor: I almost missed it. The slight, almost apologetic slump to his shoulders—or am I projecting? Maybe that's just Baskin’s way of showing the weight of history, or the complicated intersection of identities involved in times of violent clashes. Curator: It is not your projection. And, further, White Man Runs Him’s very name echoes that tension, doesn’t it? A Native American man forever defined by his relationship to the white settlers and colonizers who attempted to destroy a culture, or that time Custer chose to disregard a crucial warning that ultimately cost many men their lives, with White Man Runs Him as witness. Editor: Right? And Baskin is not shying away from that gaze. It feels like a confrontation, a challenge to really grapple with those difficult histories, both his and ours. Curator: Baskin consistently engaged with themes of mortality, justice, and the human condition, making his prints a medium through which to wrestle with these big, unwieldy subjects and offer alternative cultural narratives of famous figures like White Man Runs Him. The intentional contrast between light and shadow enhances this sense of gravity. Editor: And isn’t that what art should do, ultimately? Provoke a deeper reflection, push us to consider uncomfortable truths lurking beneath the surface. I could keep staring at this one for days and probably not exhaust the interpretations. Curator: Indeed. This artwork challenges viewers to reckon with layers of history and conflicting loyalties, offering insight into the complexity of identity and representation, and a stark portrait into the history of American violence.