Art | Case Subject

This case examines questions relating to the issues of Indian identity within the field of Native arts, both in terms of the creation of art and Native arts administration. The case looks at the Indian Arts and Craft Act of 1990 and the impact of the application of the law to Indian artists and Native arts service organizations. The question of "who is an Indian artist?" as defined by the Indian Arts and Crafts Act has legal, cultural and community implications. The question of "what is Indian art?" has many implications for the field of indigenous art and comprises a wide range of viewpoints.

This case examines issues that an indigenous artist faces when trying to define the direction her work might take as she leaves the university and thinks about her place in the indigenous and mainstream arts community. It deals with topics like tradition and modernity, the place of art inside and outside the indigenous community, art and tribal sovereignty, and examines the way in which two important contemporary Iroquois artists act as an example for a young artist as she questions her role as she contemplates entering the contemporary art world and choosing a graduate program to prepare herself to address issues that relate culture and art.