Portrait of a person wearing traditional attire with red flowers and feathers in their hair.

Kevin Red Star, Medicine Ball

Kevin Red Star
1943-
Apsáalooke (Crow)
Date
1980
Medium Specific
Acrylic on Canvas
Classification
Painting
Dimensions
29 x 24 in. (73.7 x 61 cm.)
Accession Number
2025.35.15.111
Credit
Gift of Jacquelyn and Robert Slotkin
Memo / Artist Statement
Kevin Red Star is known for his attention to historical detail in his depiction of warriors, ceremonies, costumes, and tipis. Each element, no matter how small, has specific meaning and significance within the context of tradition. Above and beyond accuracy, Kevin Red Star’s deep experience is expressed in the color and composition of image after image. Each one is a complete statement in itself; each remains in the mind’s eye long after viewing it. Tipis cluster in close community, their long, graceful poles fanning out to catch the stars and sunbeams. Women gather for ceremonies in richly ornamented clothing. Warriors go forth on proud Appaloosa ponies, their bows and shields at the ready to protect their encampments. In every painting, the subject springs vividly to life, reflecting the mastery of style and technique he has gained over the course of the years. (https://kevinredstar.com)
Biography
Kevin Red Star grew up on the Crow reservation in southern Montana, a member of a highly creative family. He was in the first group of students at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe in the late sixties. The school provided a learning environment of tribal tradition, world art history, and current trends. Open studios, well stocked with supplies, encouraged individual experimentation and collaboration. Red Star and some of his friends in their graduating class continued their studies at the San Francisco Art Institute before embarking on their careers. They attracted immediate notice in New York and Paris, as well as established art centers throughout the United States. And they went on to change the face of modern Indian art. (https://kevinredstar.com)
Date of Bio
Inscription
Kevin Red Star (lrc), "Medicine Ball" Kevin Red Star, 1980, Santa Fe - New Mexico (verso in pen)