State Names

Jaune Quick-To-See Smith, State Names, 2000, oil, collage and mixed media on canvas, 48 x 72 in. (121.9 x 182.9 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Elizabeth Ann Dugan and museum purchase, 2004.28

Artwork Details

Title: State Names
Artist: Jaune Quick-To-See Smith
Date: 2000
Location: Not on view
Dimensions: 48 x 72 in. (121.9 x 182.9 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of Elizabeth Ann Dugan and museum purchase
Mediums Description: oil, collage and mixed media on canvas
Classifications: Painting
Highlights: Native and Indigenous Art
Subjects: Landscape — United States
Object — written matter — map
Object Number: 2004.28
Linked Open Data: https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/2004.28

Artwork Description

Dripping paint and newspaper clippings obscure a map of North America in State Names. The only names left visible are those that stem from indigenous sources. The collaged layers act as sequences of time, partially eclipsing the past while highlighting the injustices endured by Native Americans throughout history. Through her use of iconic shapes formed with clippings from newspapers, including the New York Times and Char-Koosta--her reservation's newspaper--Jaune Quick-to-See Smith's work challenges our notions of heritage, identity, and history.