A painting by Fritz Scholder, “Dartmouth Portrait #8”, 1973
On August 31Bonhams will present its third edition Modern Native American Art sale in Los Angeles which will showcase important works by Native American and Canadian artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. The sale will be highlighted by several works by an influential painter and colourist, Fritz Schholder (1937-2005), known for his juxtapositions of Native American stereotypes in modern American culture that has drawn powerful commentary. Coming to market for the first time since it was originally exhibited, the group’s remarkable work is Portrait of Dartmouth #8, 1973a brightly colored painting of a native man, estimated at $100,000 – 150,000. The work is part of a series that Scholder painted during his tenure as artist-in-residence at Dartmouth University, where he was the first of four significant Indigenous artists welcomed to campus in the 1970s. other Scholder highlights include Hollywood Indian #2, 1973 and Hopi Serpent Priest, 1972each estimated at $30,000 – 50,000.
The sale will also include Commemorative woodcut suite, 1977five woodcuts, by Canon TC (1946-1978), one of the most innovative Native American artists of the 20th century and a student of Scholder. Estimated at $15,000 – 25,000, the prints were created at the end of Cannon’s short life in partnership with Japanese master lumberjack Maeda and printer Uchikawa. An additional highlight of the sale includes three paintings of Kevin Red Star (born in 1943), a Native American painter from Montana known for authentically capturing the heritage of his tribe. This heritage is particularly captured in large-scale painting Parade of Crow Indian Chiefs of Montana, USA, 2001estimated at $7,000 – 10,000.
Other highlights of the sale:
• A large gold and multi-stone cuff bracelet, estimated at $25,000 – 45,000and a 14-karat gold ring set with a long rectangular coral, estimated at $12,000 – 18,000by Charles Loloma (1921-1991)very influential Hopi jeweler.
• A mask, Dzunakwa (wild woman of the woods)by Handsome Dick (1955-2017)estimated at $10,000 – 15,000. One of the most accomplished sculptors on the Northwest Coast, Dick depicted a giantess of Kwakwakaʼwakw and Nuu-chah-nulth mythologies, skillfully capturing her traditionally pinched mouth and unruly hair.
• Estimated at $15,000 – 25,000a whalebone sculpture depicting a figure flying by Karoo Ashevak (1940-1974), an Inuk carver. Working primarily with whalebone, Ashevak infused humor into his sculptures while drawing inspiration from bizarre stories from his childhood and community.