MICHEAL TWO BULLS ART

My work focuses on concepts that deal with identity, history and place. These narrative works often draw from aspects of my life, family and experiences. Quite often, Native American people are subjugated to an old idea of who we used to be; or rather, a romantic idea dreamt up in a Hollywood studio or from a fictional book. Major museums and galleries often have a niche section for any racial population, often segregated from the larger body of work which I've felt was an injustice to those artists. Through my work I strive to break through that barrier by including Native American perspectives, while touching upon universal themes that resonate with a wider audience, so that it can be included in a larger body of work.

When I was a young artist, the community I grew up in relied on a tourist economy which weighed heavy on the stereotypical Native American imagery. It had nothing to do with any current or personal issues many Natives deal with today. Like many other Native artists, I was expected to paint these one sided narratives for a quick dollar. I didn't want to perpetuate the stereotype of the "romantic Indian" for tourists. Nor did I want to perpetuate the stereotype of a "drunk Indian" or anything negatively associated to that degree by the locals. Instead, I took the direction of painting the realities I seen growing up. I chose to paint my ancestor's past experiences (which only goes back a couple generations ago) through a Native American perspective, not through a tourist's romantic perspective.

I want my paintings to start a dialogue with the viewer, engage them on various levels where they can ask questions, be curious and empathize with the work. I believe this work needs to happen in our society, where we can talk about identity, history and place in order to be inclusive.