Bowl 1935 - 1942

This bowl was made by an anonymous artist and rendered in graphite and colored pencil. It serves as a powerful reminder of the complexities surrounding cultural heritage, especially when it comes to the art of indigenous peoples. The anonymous nature of the artist invites us to consider the historical context in which Indigenous art was often created, circulated, and received. Historically, Indigenous artists were often not credited for their work, as their creations were viewed as communal or ethnographic objects rather than individual artistic expressions. The geometric and zoomorphic patterns on the bowl speak to the rich visual language and cultural narratives of its likely Indigenous creator, while also gesturing to the emotional and spiritual connections to the natural world. There's something lost in not knowing the artist's name. Recognizing this absence encourages us to reflect on the value we place on authorship and the ways in which historical narratives can erase individual contributions.