Joe Harjo

Indian Performance Prints: Indian Holding a Weapon

Indian Performance Prints: Indian Holding a Weapon, is an ongoing series of relief prints recording the presence of a living and breathing Native person, myself, engaging with commonplace objects, actions and states of mind, whose functions within society are mirrored, exposing their dual ability to be used as instruments to harm or inflict pain either psychologically or physically. The “objects” (bible, driver’s license, penis, self-doubt… etc.) are, and have in the past been, used as weapons against Native people, their identity, and their civil rights, as well as against marginalized groups in general.                             

On creamwhite paper, in brightred ink, the imprint of footwear with a complex tread, made up of voided lozenges under the sole and heel, horizontal bars at the toe and end of the heel, and an oblique block under the arch beginning at the heel and ascending to the instep halfway up. Vertical bars transverse the voided lozenges along the sole, bisecting them. Both feet are splayed slightly outward, that on the right moreso. Beneath, in blackinked oblique print hand, "INDIAN HOLDING A WEAPON (AMERICAN FLAG)", and in the bottom right corner, the cursive signature J Harjo 2018", where the data is in subscript.
On creamwhite paper, in brightred ink, the imprint of footwear with a complex tread, made up of voided lozenges under the sole and heel, horizontal bars at the toe and end of the heel, and an oblique block under the arch beginning at the heel and ascending to the instep halfway up. Vertical bars transverse the voided lozenges along the sole, bisecting them. Both feet are splayed slightly outward, and that on the left is placed slightly ahead, and angled outward slightly more than that on the right. The inner tip of the toe of the left foot has not made contact with the paper, nor that the outer edge of the heel of the right. Beneath, in blackinked oblique print hand, "INDIAN HOLDING A WEAPON (GUN)", and in the bottom right corner, the cursive signature J Harjo 2018", where the data is in subscript.
On creamwhite paper, in bright red ink, the print of bare feet, the left less defined than the right. Both footprints show five toes, and both feet are splayed outward, the left slightly moreso than the right, and slightly forward. Beneath, blackinked in oblique print hand, "INDIAN HOLDING A WEAPON (PENIS), and in the bottom right corner, in oblique script, "J Harjo 2018", the date in subscript.
On creamwhite paper, in brightred ink, the imprint of footwear with a complex tread, made up of voided lozenges under the sole and heel, horizontal bars at the toe and end of the heel, and an oblique block under the arch beginning at the heel and ascending to the instep halfway up. Vertical bars transverse the voided lozenges along the sole, bisecting them. Both feet are splayed slightly outward, that on the left only barely, and slightly ahead. The inner tip of the toe of the left foot has not made contact with the paper, nor have the toe and the outer edge of the heel of the right. Beneath, in blackinked oblique print hand, "INDIAN HOLDING A WEAPON (SKITTLES)", and in the bottom right corner, the cursive signature J Harjo 2018", where the data is in subscript.
Joe is shown in grayscale. Joe faces forward, head tilted slightly to the right. Joe has darker skin, dark hair that falls below the shoulders, and a slightly lighter mustache and beard. Joe wears a medium-tone crew neck shirt, and a dark point-collared jacket or overshirt with bright metal snaps.

Joe Harjo is a San Antonio-based artist born and raised in Oklahoma City, OK. Harjo is a member of the Muscogee Creek Nation of Oklahoma. He received his Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond. Harjo works as a multidisciplinary artist, allowing concept to dictate modes of working and medium. His work often employs humor to approach difficult subjects such as Native American identity, misrepresentation, and appropriation of culture, initiating a call for change. Recent exhibitions include: The Only Certain Way, Sala Diaz, San Antonio, TX; Texas, We’re Listening, Brownsville Museum of Art, Brownsville, TX; We’re Still Here: Native American Artists Then and Now, McNay Art Museum, San Antonio, TX; Monarchs: Brown and Native Contemporary Artists in the Path of the Butterfly, Blue Star Contemporary, San Antonio, TX, Reimagining the Third Space (2018), KCAI Crossroads Gallery: Center for Contemporary Practice, Kansas City, Missouri, re/thinking photography: Conceptual Photography from Texas (2017), FotoFest, Houston, Texas. He recently curated a series of films created by Native Americans at the Briscoe Western Art Museum, San Antonio. Harjo is a board member of the Muscogee Arts Association, a nonprofit organization that advocates for living Muscogee artists, a board member of Texas Photographic Society and he teaches photography and visual literacy at the Southwest School of Art. Find more at www.joeharjo.com and on Instagram at @NDNstagram.

 

 BACK TO ISSUE

 BACK TO FOLIO