Cigar Store Indian c. 1937

Editor: Here we have Walter Hochstrasser's "Cigar Store Indian," dating from around 1937. It's a drawing of a wood carving, quite a detailed portrait, actually. I find it intriguing, almost theatrical. What springs to mind when you look at it? Curator: Ah, yes. I’m immediately struck by the… well, the complicated dance it performs. On one hand, there’s the artist’s genuine attempt to capture a dignified Indigenous figure, but that's wrestled by the sad history of these sculptures as commercial props, often perpetuating stereotypes. Editor: Stereotypes? How so? Curator: Think about it. Placed outside cigar stores, these carvings commodified and exoticized Indigenous people, turning them into marketing tools. Now, this drawing, being a secondary representation…it layers on another level of complexity. Hochstrasser seems to be reflecting *on* the stereotype. Do you see that solemn, almost melancholy gaze in the figure’s eyes? Editor: I do now! Almost a sense of resignation? Curator: Exactly! It’s as if Hochstrasser is trying to breathe humanity back into a figure that was robbed of it. The vibrant colors of the headdress… do they feel celebratory to you, or something else? Editor: Hmm… Perhaps a bit forced, almost like an advertisement trying too hard. Curator: You nailed it! The whole image walks a tightrope, between appreciation and exploitation. Which is a testament, I think, to its enduring power to provoke. Editor: Wow, I definitely see this piece differently now. It’s not just a portrait; it's a commentary. Thanks for pointing that out!