Bracelet c. 1955

Curator: This is a striking silver bracelet crafted around 1955 by a Navajo artist, part of the decorative art collection at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. It really captures the ingenuity of indigenous American metalwork. Editor: It does! My first thought is how solid it appears. The braiding of the metal makes it seem both sturdy and elegant, like something unearthed from a more industrial age. Curator: Absolutely. Navajo silversmithing emerged as a significant craft tradition in the late 19th century, influenced by both Spanish and Puebloan techniques. We often see works reflecting the adaptation of European tools and materials into Native American aesthetic practices. Editor: So, beyond the look, this speaks to the economic and material realities? Access to silver, tools… the context of trade? It shows in this intricate yet hefty twist that must've been intensive work! I wonder about the artist, and how it would've felt crafting this from a single piece of metal? Curator: Precisely. Think about the socio-political conditions as well. The mid-20th century saw a growing interest in Native American art among non-Native populations. How might this demand have shaped artistic choices? Also, this period coincides with significant shifts in US government policies affecting Native American communities. Editor: That certainly pushes me to reflect not just on aesthetics but the complex intersection of cultures, labor, and economics inherent to its creation, I now think how the final user for this material can shape the work of an artist. Curator: I think so. A lot of what it is about this work also brings me to understand not just art as static but active—shaped by economic trends and social policies. Editor: Absolutely. Thinking of the silversmith's labor transforming raw material into this object changes my entire read on this artifact from the Minneapolis Institute of Art, thanks.