Gregg Deal (Pyramid Lake Paiute) is a contemporary artist who challenges Western perception of Indigenous peoples, touching on issues of race, history and stereotype. Through his work – paintings, murals, performance art, filmmaking and spoken word – Deal critically examines issues and tells stories of decolonization and appropriation that affect Indian Country. Deal’s activism exists in his art, as well as his participation in political movements.
Sustainable Equality (left)
In thinking in terms of a worldwide effort to anti-racism, finding sustainability in it, allowing room for equality, solidarity, and community, a shout for the positivity of these things was my main purpose of this. Frequently working within the old propagandist graphic style, bringing something forward that is modern, but also finds quarter in the words that stand out to me most. Generally, I find things that make the most sense to me personally, but wanted to move to a place that was more inclusive, more open and easy to connect to in the discussion at hand.
Free (center)
Native people of this continent have been subject to the perception of our existence, rather than the reality of our existence. Racism exists outward, as it does for other marginalized groups, but there is an internal passive aggressive level of racism that is often only viewed by the receiver of these micro-aggressions. This perception playing into every part of informing our existence. This piece is using a photo of a Shoshone man from the very early 20th century, playing into the obvious place of relic.
This piece is meant to bring a seemingly old image into a space that is inherently modern, offsetting the very idea that this man is old, or even part of this stereotypical perception. The very idea that a perceived old image can exist in a modern piece and look as though he belongs in mind, body and spirit is the result of true equality, given through the tenets of anti-racist community action. Can you imagine?
Sacred Hope (right)
While Native perception is a legitimately difficult thing to consider, as we traverse that perception, we must consider that gender makes a difference. The sacredness of our women, non-binary and two spirit people undermines the colonial concept that we are, as a people, inherently not worth anything. The divinity of our people, culturally, politically and socially is assured, and it is important we not only never forget, but that we must help this continent’s citizens understand it as well. Equal consideration feeds into this understanding of cultural value and sustains the ideas of community based racial equality for all.