Sheldon Harvey (Navajo), Untitled, oil on canvas, 50 x 50”
“Modern West is thrilled to feature the important work of three distinct Navajo artists: Shonto Begay, whose rhythmic paintings are deeply personal and mesmerizing, Sheldon Harvey, whose Native- and Cubist-inspired paintings transcend to sculpture, and Eugene Tapahe, whose documentations personify the spiritual exchange of the Ojibwe jingle dress and the land,” says Shalee Cooper, Modern West director and curator. “Each of these artists brings awareness to Native American experiences through their inspired and compelling work.”
Gaagi Visitation contains imagery that reoccurs in Begay’s work—a man sitting against a juniper tree being visited by ravens, with an undulating sky and canyon walls in the background. In Stands with Light, the tree is the central subject, a symbol of perseverance and strength. All of his work reflects his own life experiences—the challenges and suffering as well as the joy and deep reverence for beauty—and his love for his Navajo homeland on the Shonto Plateau.
Eugene Tapahe (Navajo), Indian Land, Palm Springs, CA, 2021, archival print on watercolor paper, 38 x 56”
Harvey is based in Window Rock, Arizona, and studied the arts at Diné College in Tsaile, Arizona, but attributes his talents to his uncle who taught him how to paint at a young age. His work depicts imagery of ancient Navajo folklore and through various different mediums. His mixed media, abstract sculptures and paintings are inspired by ancient Navajo folklore, the land, Diné stories and personal identity. “Untitled is a visual representation of how [Harvey's] use of various mediums inform one another,” says Cooper. “In his work, Harvey engages a figurative language to his abstract concepts with his fluid-like brushstrokes alongside sharp, exact shapes and forms.”
Photography will also be showcased through Tapahe’s powerful portraits. Also from Window Rock and now based in Northern Utah, Tapahe spent the early years of his life on the Navajo Nation, where he and his grandmother lived off the land and practiced the traditional ways of their ancestors, an experience that continues to inform his work and life today. Indian Land is part of his series Art Heals: The Jingle Dress Project which, according to Tapahe’s website aims to “take the healing power of the Ojibwe jingle dress to the land, to travel, to dance and capture a series of images to document the spiritual places our ancestors once walked, and to unite and give hope to the world through art, dance and culture to help us heal.”
Shonto Begay (Diné (Navajo)), Stands with Light, acrylic on canvas, 82 x 50”
Eugene Tapahe (Navajo), Togetherness, Bonneville Salt Flats, UT, Goshute and Timpanogos, 2023, 38 x 56”
The exhibitions, which will feature roughly 15 works by each artist, were planned to coincide with the Santa Fe Indian Market, and will include supplementary material including exclusive interviews with the artists, studio images and more.
“Modern West’s mission is to feature artists inspired by the spirit of the West,” says Cooper. “Our goal is to align our programming with this spirit—creating an atmosphere of opportunity that challenges us to push the boundaries of what an exhibition can look like…This unique experience transcends gallery walls and can reach global audiences anytime, anywhere.”
Modern West Fine Art
Through September 30, 2024
412 S. 700 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84104 (801) 355-3383, www.modernwestfineart.com
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