Oscar Howe (Yanktonai Dakota, 1915–1983), Dance of the Heyoka, 1954. Casein on paper, 20 1/4 × 26 1/4 in. Philbrook Museum of Art, Tulsa, Oklahoma; Museum purchase, 1954.12

Dakota Modern: The Art of Oscar Howe introduces new generations to one of the twentieth century’s most innovative Native American painters. Howe (1915–1983) committed his artistic career to the preservation, relevance, and ongoing expression of his Yanktonai Dakota culture. He proved that art could be simultaneously modern and embedded in customary Očhéthi Šakówiŋ (Sioux) culture and aesthetics—to him there was no contradiction.

Howe challenged the art establishment’s preconceptions and definitions of Native American painting. In doing so, he catalyzed a movement among Native artists to express their individuality rather than conforming to an established style. This legacy of innovation and advocacy continues to inspire generations of Native artists to take pride in their heritage and resist stereotypes.

Dakota Modern traces more than forty years of the artist’s career and development from early conventional work created while in high school in the 1930s through the emergence in the 1950s and 1960s of his innovative and abstract approach to painting.

Organized by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian and the Portland Art Museum. Curated by Kathleen Ash-Milby. Major support provided by the Henry Luce Foundation. Additional support provided by the Wyeth Foundation for American Art. Support for the Portland Art Museum installation provided by the Institute for Museum and Library Services, grant MA-249741-OMS-21, Ameriprise Financial, The Standard, Greg and Cathy Tibbles, The Boeing Company, the Ed Cauduro Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation, Joe and Cathleen Karcher, Lani McGregor and Daniel Schwoerer, and Wells Fargo Foundation.

Dakota Modern will be on view March 12 – September 11, 2022, at the National Museum of the American Indian in New York City.

These exhibitions will shine a spotlight on two important Native American artists, as well as the broad and lasting impact Oscar Howe has had on modern and contemporary art. Through our community partnerships and public programs, we aim to amplify the contributions and perspectives of both Howe and Gibson, as well as the many Native American artists and communities living and working in the Pacific Northwest.