Conversations: Images of Indians, Moving Beyond the Stereotypes

Catalog description

When thinking of Indians, most people believe they have a clear sense of what an Indian looks like, and it usually includes feather headdresses, face paint, buckskin, and a horse. This class will allow us to explore how non-Indian peoples came to this (mis)understanding by studying and conversing about representations of Indians in paintings, photography, film and other forms of visual media, most of which were created by non-Indian peoples. We will look at works by native artists that challenge the commonly accepted view of what a "real" Indian looks like and how a "real" Indian acts. The course will run Jan. 23-April 2.