George Longfish: A Retrospective

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2 George Longfish: A Retrospective Presented by: Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art Thayer and Mungas/Volk Galleries September 26 - November 15, 2008 Opening Reception, 5:30-7:30pm, September 26, 2008 ArtShare Presentation by Manuela Well-Off-Man at 6:00pm The exhibition was organized by Montana Museum of Art & Culture, University of Montana, Missoula Manuela Well-Off-Man, Curator and is traveling under the auspice of the Museum and Art Gallery Directors Association of Montana (MAGDA). Museum programming is made possible by the generosity of our members and supporters, with ongoing assistance from The National Endowment for the Arts, the Montana Arts Council and the Citizens of Cascade County. Cover Image: George Longfish, A Fish in Hand is Worth Two in the Bush, 1987, acrylic on paper, 28 x 40 inches. On loan to the exhibition courtesy of Richard Goldwach. On-line catalog 2008, Paris Gibson Square, Inc. All rights reserved. All images 2008, George Longfish. All rights reserved. Written & designed by Bob Durden, Curator of Art, Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art.

3 Thunder Stick Mask #1, 1983, mixed media, 25 x 6 x 8 inches. On loan to the exhibition courtesy of Joe Feddersen. Thunder Stick Mask No. 2, no date, mixed media, 28½ x 8½ x 8½ inches. On loan to the exhibition courtesy of Richard Goldwach. 1

4 2 Take These Broken Wings and Learn to Fly Again, 1986, acrylic on canvas, 66 x 71 inches. On loan to the exhibition courtesy of Barbara and Dennis Nester.

5 Triptych: Modern Times, 1994, photo lithography, each panel measures 42 ½ x 30 ½ inches. On loan to the exhibition courtesy of the Missoula Art Museum American Art Collection, a gift of Jaune Quick-to-See Smith. The presentation of George Longfish: A Retrospective is in keeping with The Square s commitment to present quality art of our time with a focus on the cultural diversity of north-central Montana and the patrons we serve. The exhibition (containing paintings, prints, drawings and sculptures) is the third in a series of seven exhibitions to be presented during the year that celebrates different Montana cultures, and provides a focal point for classroom and workshop activities and civic discussion. The exhibition contextualizes the significance of George Longfish s contributions to the visual arts with works that pose challenging social questions while leaving viewers room to gauge themes of community, land usage/ownership, cultural history and identity against their own experiences. Often combining cultural symbols derived from historical precedents, or of his own creation, with Pop culture iconography, George Longfish conveys powerful visual expressions about complex ideas and represents the history of people, their stories and a desire for respect and understanding of First Nation cultural heritage. 3

6 Who s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses, , digital print, 47 ¼ x 61½ inches. On loan to the exhibition courtesy of George Longfish. Longfish contributed immensely to the increasing success of the Contemporary Indian Art Movement. His early work focused on formal aesthetic aspects of art. His more recent art deals with issues like the ownership of cultural information and the importance of passing this information on to future generations. Manuela Well-Off-Man, Curator, Montana Museum of Art & Culture George Longfish was born in 1942 in Oshweken, Ontario and currently resides in South Berwick, Maine. He earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from the Art Institute of Chicago in He served as Director of the University of Montana Graduate Program in American Indian Art ( ), Professor of Historical and Contemporary Native Arts at the University of California, Davis ( ) and as Director of the C. N. Gorman Museum at U. C. Davis ( ). 4

7 Blood Line or Accepted Federal Government Standard for Blood Quantum, 2005, acrylic on canvas,22 x 124 inches. On loan to the exhibition courtesy of George Longfish. The Square thanks the Montana Museum of Art & Culture and MAGDA for making this traveling exhibition available to The Square s patrons. We also extend our thanks to the Montana Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Citizens of Cascade County and all of our members for their support of this exhibition and related programs. Exhibition Checklist BIA Maze, , digital print, 45 ¼ x 45 ¾ Finger Weaving #1, 1974, acrylic on canvas, 66 x 66 ½ A Fish in Hand is Worth Two in the Bush, 1978, acrylic on paper, 28 x 40 3,000 Miles, 1978, acrylic on paper, 35 ¼ x 29 ¼ Dela s Delight, 1978, acrylic on paper, 28 ¾ x 41 ½ I Will Never Be the Same When I Leave My Father s Lodge, 1983, mixed media on un-stretched canvas, 96 x 120 Thunder Stick Mask No. 1, 1983, mixed media, 25 x 6 x 8 Thunder Stick Mask No. 2, no date, mixed media, 28 ½ x 8 ½ x 8 ½ * Wondering Where the Lions Are, Bird of Paradise, 1983, acrylic on canvas, 85 x 54 And Baby Makes Three in My Blue Heaven, 1984, acrylic on un-stretched canvas, 63 ½ x 59 ½ Portrait of an Artist, 1985, mixed media on paper, 45 ½ x 31 Untitled, 1985, acrylic on paper, 28 x 33 ½ * I Wanna Dance with Rosebud Sioux, 1985, oil on canvas, 69 ½ x 93 Take These Broken Wings and Learn to Fly Again, 1986, acrylic on canvas, 66 x 71 * Good Bye Norma Jean, The Chief is Dead, 1988, acrylic on canvas, 86 x 57 ½ War Shirt: I m a Fighter Not a Lover, 1989, acrylic/mixed media, ca. 42 x 51 Don t Fuck with a Boy Named Sioux, 1990, mixed media on paper, 28 x 40 * Power Glove and Game Boy Meet with Kicking Bear on Their Journey Looking for the Yellow Brick Road, 1991, acrylic on canvas, 102 x 120 Chief Running Two Wheels, ca. 1992, gelatin silver print by Richard Goldwach, 15 x 12 * The End of Innocence, 1993, acrylic on canvas, (triptych) 120 x 312 War Shirt: Born to be Free, ca. 1989, acrylic/mixed media, 40 ½ x 50 ¼ Modern Times (George), 1994, photo lithograph, 42 ½ x 30 ⅝ Modern Times (Apple Sauce), 1994, photo lithograph, 42 ½ x 30 ⅝ Modern Times (Powwow Dancer), 1994, photo lithograph, 42 ½ x 30 ⅝ Bag a Red Heart for Valentine, 1996, collage/mixed media, 28 x 24 I is for Indian, 1998, collage/mixed media, 28 x 24 As Above So Below, 1999, acrylic on canvas, 71 ½ x 53 Who s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses, , digital print, 47 ¼ x 66 ½ Winter Still Life, South Dakota, , acrylic on canvas, 46 x 55 Blood Line or Accepted Federal, 2005, Government Standard for Blood Quantum, acrylic on canvas, 22 x 124 Portrait of the Artist (Red Man), 2005, acrylic on canvas, 24 x 24 It s not What It s Cracked Up to Be (Full Blood), 2005, acrylic on canvas, 22 x 22 * Not exhibited at Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art A 56 page, fully illustrated exhibition catalog, published by the Montana Museum of Art and Culture, accompanies the exhibition. The catalog features a foreword by Manuela Well-Off-Man, Curator and an essay by Kate Morris. 5

8 War Shirts: Born to be Free, circa 1989, acrylic on canvas, 40 ½ x 50 ¼ inches. On loan to the exhibition courtesy of the U. C. Davis University Library First Ave. N. Great Falls, MT info@the-square.org Museum Hours: Free Admission Courtesy of Monday - Friday 10am to 5pm Tuesday Evenings 7-9pm Saturday 12-5pm Closed Sundays