Blanket-Wrapped Navajo 1902

"Blanket-Wrapped Navajo" is a print created by Maynard Dixon at an unknown date. Dixon lived and worked during a period of immense social change, particularly for Indigenous populations in the American West. This artwork presents a Navajo individual wrapped in a blanket against a stark, arid landscape. The figure's posture and the heavy blanket may evoke feelings of protection, or perhaps, a shielding from the external world. But what does it mean to be wrapped so heavily, to be almost hidden from view? The Navajo blanket itself is a complex symbol, traditionally representing cultural identity and status. Here, it also serves as a visual barrier, asking us to consider themes of visibility, representation, and cultural preservation. Dixon's work invites us to reflect on how we perceive and represent cultures different from our own, especially in the context of historical and ongoing power imbalances. It compels us to consider whose stories are being told, and how.