Continuum: Honoring Oscar Howe's Legacy

"Continuum: Honoring Oscar Howe’s Legacy" seeks to stimulate contemplation of Oscar Howe’s immeasurable impact as artist, mentor, educator and advocate by sharing pairings of works by Howe’s students and their selected protégés, as well as art pieces by American Indian artists who have gleaned inspiration from Howe’s art and ideas. Like ripples in a pond, Howe’s impact continues to grow and spread. Continuum does not comprehensively describe that incredible reach but instead attempts to provide a brief glimpse of these ripples. The South Dakota Art Museum acknowledges there could be many more artists represented in Continuum, as Howe's legacy lives and thrives within artists and creatives in South Dakota and beyond. The museum looks forward to growing in our knowledge of these connections through conversations stimulated by these exhibits. We also wish to express our gratitude to the advisors who shared their wisdom and inspired "Continuum," to the participating artists who shared their histories and talents, who selected the art pieces, who connected the Museum with more artists and who wrote much of the exhibit text. We are honored to share this experience with you.

The Inspiration

"Continuum: Honoring Oscar Howe’s Legacy" was inspired after several conversations with trusted advisors. The advisors were asked the question, “What would you want to see and experience in the museum along with the Dakota Modern exhibit?” Howe’s legacy became the primary subject of the conversation, as our advisors shared their perspectives and experiences and revealed how they felt Oscar Howe’s legacy continues in the work of artists and creatives. 

To center the perspectives of the artists and creatives, the Museum invited several art students of Oscar Howe, to participate in and essentially curate this exhibit. These students, each celebrated artists, selected pieces from their bodies of work that honor Howe and his teaching, while also demonstrating their personal styles and practices.

In turn, these artists selected art works for exhibition by their own protégés to honor the continuation of Howe’s impact as artist and mentor. Finally, to explore Howe’s further reach, additional artists were selected for the exhibition for their personal or artistic connections to Howe, some were contemporaries and others cite Howe as an inspiration to their work.

The South Dakota Art Museum greatly appreciates our advisors, who share their time and wisdom and who inspired Continuum. The Museum is also grateful to the participating artists, who shared their histories and talents, selected the art pieces, connected the Museum with more artists and wrote much of the exhibit text.  

We are honored to share this experience with our friends and visitors.Learn about Dakota Modern: The Art of Oscar Howe

Advisors

• Tawa Ducheneaux, South Dakota Art Museum Board of Advisors.
• Craig Howe, Center for American Indian Research and Native Studies.
• Lanniko Lee, South Dakota Art Museum Board of Advisors.

Dakota Modern Engagement Committee: 

Learn about Dakota Modern: The Art of Oscar Howe