1st Thursday | Artist Talk
June 6, 6 pm, free

Cash Bar reception is available from 5 – 6 pm

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Topic: Acts of Visual Resistance: the art of Chris Pappan

The 19th Century was a tumultuous time for the indigenous peoples of America. The doctrine of Manifest Destiny brought deep pain and suffering, but it also introduced new modes of expression.  Pictographic, narrative works that usually depicted battles, hunting excursions, or the ceremonies of a community worked their way onto the ledger pages from books introduced by soldiers and merchants. The tradition known as Ledger Art continues today with contemporary artists who mostly reinterpret historical narratives on antique substrates. In his work Chris strives to create narratives that are reflections of his own experiences as a contemporary Kanza citizen and attempts to push the boundaries that define an art genre.  Chris will illustrate how his work aligns, then departs from the Ledger Art tradition, his influences and his belief in the power of art.

Join us for an Artist Talk with Chicago-based contemporary Native American artist, Chris Pappan. Pappan’s Thoughts and Prayers (2023) is one of the first works of contemporary Native American art to enter the permanent collection in many years. Hear about his inspiration, creative process, and studio practice.

Read more about our newest reinstallation of the Native American Galleries. 

Speaker Bio

Chris Pappan (Kanza, Lakota)

Chris Pappan is an enrolled member of the Kaw Nation and honors his Osage and Lakota heritage. His cited artistic influences are the Lowbrow art movement, Heavy Metal and Juxtapoz magazines, and taps into the American cultural roots of 1970s underground comics, punk, and hot rod cultures.  His art literally reflects the dominant culture’s distorted perceptions of Native peoples and is based on the Plains Native art tradition known as Ledger Art.

A graduate of the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe and a nationally recognized painter and ledger artist, Chris’ work is in numerous museums such as the National Museum of the American Indian, Washington D.C.; the Tia collection in Santa Fe NM and the Speed Museum of Art in Louisville KY among other important collections both nationally and internationally. He is represented by Blue Rain Gallery in Santa Fe NM.

Chris is currently a board member of the Illinois State Museum and is a co-founder of the Center for Native Futures, a Native American gallery and studio space in Chicago’s Loop. He lives and works in Chicago with his wife Debra Yepa-Pappan, and their daughter Ji Hae.