Description:
Watercolor on Paper. Signed l.r.: Big Bow, Stamped u.r.: PLANCHE 16.
From: American Indian Painters, Vol. 1, p. 15: The swastika has appeared among may peoples in different periods in history. It was seen in China one thousand years ago. The Navajos have used it as their emblem since pre-historic times. The 45th Division of the Army of the United States carried it in World War I. Then came the arch fiend, Hitler, and made it a symbol of crime and depravity without equal in all history. The Navajo tribe, in a solemn meeting repudiated their emblem. Naturally the boys of the 45th Division could not wear it on their left shoulder into the Italian beach-heads. They carried a red and yellow "Thunderbird", another sacred emblem among the Indian tribes of the Southwest. It was Woody Bigbow, the Kiowa, who designed it for them. Woody is quite a fellow. He is capably of holding his own in a white man's world. For a while he lived in Oklahoma City and worked as a contractor and builder, until social security, restrictive laws, employees compensation and other regulations drove him out. In the Indian art world, he is somewhat of a new-comer but, being energetic and a pusher in his quiet way, he has managed quite well. He has painted several murals and many watercolors. Recently he brought for examination and criticism a realistic portrait of the old Comanche chief, Quanah Parker. He was rather proud of his accomplishment. It was the first time he had dipped a brush in oil paint. The portrait was, of course, harsh and amateurish, but considering that it was his first introduction to oil, it was not bad. He has painted sets for several western movie films. Bigbow comes of Indian aristocracy. He is a descendant of Chief Tse-ko-yate, who was also an artist and the first to have an Eagle tipi. Woody was born in 1915. He is married and has three husky children. He keeps up his tribal dances and he is even teaching his youngsters in the old tradition. Bigbow is a splendid example of a full blood Indian of the Western Plains tribes finding his place in the white civilization, without entirely abandoning the old ways of the red man. "The Conference" is a very recent painting. It is concerned with delegates from the Apaches, Kiowas, and Comanches, evidently discussing matters of importance. In a general way, its style conforms to the Kiowa tradition in painting, brilliant in color, incisive in outline, slightly archaic in composition. (Collection, University of Oklahoma)