First American Art Magazine
May 10, 2013
"In order for Native Americans to succeed in the mainstream art world, it is important that we have more trained artists, art historians, and critics. Oftentimes Native Americans will become all three. It is not until we have people who can write intelligently about our work, that more of us will find our ways into the higher echelon of the art world. It is also important that we have benefactors and collectors donating our work to mainstream institutions, not just the museums dedicated to American Indian art."- Tom Jones, Ho-Chunk photographer, First American Art Magazine, p 28
Daunted by art history and theory? Fear not, a new publication has been created to help engage art enthusiasts of all backgrounds in Native American artists' experience and work.
First American Art Magazine will feature analysis of First Nations art from North and South America, allowing for inclusive dialogue in an accessible, reader friendly manner.
In the initial discussions of creating First American Art magazine, editor America Meredith noted the growing number of Native artists not only creating vibrant work but in addition, curating shows and founding new cultural centers and museums. A resource was needed to help those interested keep up with these changing developments in the Native American art world. You can find more details on her blog.
According to their mission statement, the magazine founders are hoping to "discuss the human condition through the lens of Indigenous art" by inviting Native Americans to analyze not only Native made artwork, but their own experiences in relation to the mainstream art world. They have invited contributions from academics and artists studying and working today.
First American Art Magazine will be dedicated to ensuring that artist are represented with a respect to their heritage, while allowing them to choose their own paths forward. Each issue will feature interviews with artists, conducted by their peers also working in the art world.
The range of artists will be very inclusive, featuring those working in traditional artistic methods, as well as contemporary fashion couture, graphic design, mixed media, and digital art. Reviews of exhibitions, books, and representations of Native communities will also be explored.
Gallery friend and artist Teri Greeves interviewed Diné beadwork artist and fashion designer Orlando Dugi in the pilot issue on his career and inspiration. She's done an exceptional job conveying his considered attention to detail and reverence for cultural tradition, and highlights the exciting trajectory of his career into the world of fashion couture.
Teri pointed out to us how editor America Meredith has used such high quality printing that this is the kind of magazine people will want to collect, and considering the excellent content as well, we definitely agree!
We highly recommend checking out this fantastic publication. More information on subscriptions can be found here.
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