Introduction: Indigenous Futurisms in the hyperpresent now

Abstract

Introduced less than two decades ago, Indigenous Futurisms envisions the future from an Native perspective in fiction and in visual arts. Usually described through the disciplines of anthropology, cultural studies, and comparative literature, scholars including Grace Dillon, Jason Lewis, William Gaertner, and William Lempert, have explored the concept. As it has moved more and more into the visual arts, scholarship from an art historical approach is necessary. Through Indigenous Futurisms, artists including Sonny Assu, Andy Everson, Suzanne Kite, Ryan Singer, Skawennati, Hoka Skenandore, Jeffrey Veregge, and Debra Yepa-Pappan have addressed a range of difficult topics, including the long impact of colonization, institutional racism, destruction of the environment, and genocide. While many of these artists work in historic media such as painting, drawing, beadwork, and photography, the field encourages artists to explore new media including digital art, virtual reality, and websites. This essay consider the term “Indigenous Futurisms” and its impact of the field of visual culture and art history.

Keywords:

• indigenous futurism
• Grace Dillon
• Jeffrey Veregge
• Skawennati
• contemporary Native American art

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributor

Suzanne Newman Fricke has a Ph.D. in Native American art history from the University of New Mexico and has taught at a university level for more than 20 years. In her research and curatorial work, she focuses on contemporary Native American art. As a frequent contributor to First American Indian Art magazine, she has written about a number of artists including Bob Haozous, Nora Naranjo-Morse, Fritz Scholder, and Luzene Hill. Her book of interviews based on an exhibition of the same name, As We See It: Interviews with Ten Contemporary Native American Photographers, is forthcoming from the University of New Mexico Press. Her museum shows consider contemporary Indigenous art in various media and have traveled through Russia, Japan, and the United States. She currently teaches at the Institute of American Indian Art.

Notes

1 This special issue of World Art was inspired by the panel ‘“The Force Will Be With You  … Always”: Science Fiction Imagery in Contemporary Native American Art’ at the 2017 Native American Art Studies Association (NAASA). With presentations by Yvonne Tiger, Hoka Skenandore, Rory Wakemup, Chelsea Herr, and Suzanne Newman Fricke, the panel discussed both the production and reception of artworks broadly associated with ‘Indigenous Futurisms’.

2 The importance of language as part of culture is discussed by the director of The 6th World, Nanobah Becker, who notes that it is key to cultural continuation (in Estrada 2014).

3 Suzan Shown Harjo spoke with Oprah Winfrey in 1992. The Oprah Winfrey Show, ‘Racism in 1992,’ https://youtu.be/dmPWOAoExzk (15:30–22:00 contains the material that is most relevant).

4 Dr. Rickard discussed the use of the term Indigenous at the College Art Association panel ‘Indigeneity on the Global Stage,’ 2013.