My paintings tell the story of knowing land over time—of being completely, microcosmically within a place.
Ethereal lines and fragments of biomorphic forms drift through rich oranges, browns, and creams like tumbleweeds and fallen brush through the vast deserts of the American West; Emmi Whitehorse’s Woad embodies the artist’s profound connection to the land and the layered history of her people. Initially appearing to be random, Whitehorse’s gestural forms have been methodically placed to give the work the same sense of woven balance found within the traditional tapestries, pottery, and paintings of the Navajo Nation. The harmony of Woad’s forms is granted sublime power from Whitehorse’s use of color; building inward, she has concentrated the darkest colors, and thus the audience’s vision at the center of the painting. Whitehorse’s commitment to harmony and balance is rooted in Hózhó, directly translating to “walking in beauty,” the word represents the Navajo philosophy that advocates for a way of life that creates a peaceful balance and order between man and nature.
Born in Crownpoint, New Mexico, a city situated on the edge of the Navajo Nation, and educated at the University of New Mexico, Whitehorse has forged a practice deeply inspired by the life she shares in coexistence with the land. Executed in 1999, Woad is a shining icon of Whitehorse’s highly celebrated and sought-after lifelong commitment to creating honest, reverent, and proud representations of the Navajo experience.
