Author Description

This book explores Fritz Scholder's at times controversial depictions of contemporary Native Americans including rarely seen monumental canvases and lithographs that situate Scholder as a figurative artist and highlight his brilliant use of color. Over the past two centuries the lives of American Indians have been romanticized and idealized in everything from Hollywood films to souvenir shops. Fritz Scholder took another approach in his artwork. He blended figurative and Pop Art influences to create compelling and revolutionary images that challenge viewers to look beyond the stereotype and reveal the raw reality of being an American Indian. Part American Indian himself, Scholder defied the label "Native American artist." This paradox and others are evident in these works from his renowned Indian series, which spanned the years 1967-1980, and which are characteristic of the era's revisionist and rebellious spirit. Full color reproductions of works from the Denver Art Museum and public and private lenders display the full range of Scholder's vision. Essays from noted scholars discuss Scholder's influences and artistic process, including, for the first time, an assessment of the impact of his foreign travels on his work.