2024, Oil on Canvas, 40in x 30in, Artist- Luanne Redeye (Seneca, Hawk Clan)
Artist statement:
With only 1 depiction of Gayëntwahgöh in existence, the iconic Chief Cornplanter by Frederick Bartoli in 1796, Elder Cornplanter envisions Gayëntwahgöh in old age as imagined through the eyes of one his descendants, Luanne Redeye. Writings in existence that describe Cornplanter in his later years reflect the sensibilities of the colonialist view, the artist chose to take a different route. Created with joy and reverence, Elder Cornplanter portrays of man of deep knowledge who lived a long life caring for his community. Gayëntwahgöh is depicted seated with a white beard, a thoughtful and attentive gaze meant to embrace everyone.
Primarily a figurative artist, Luanne utilizes paint and portraiture as a form of self-determination, to claim Portraiture for Indigenous identities. She creates images of what she wants to see and in her studio practice focuses on what she can do in the world, both of which are anchored in her commitment to Indigenous representation. The portraits Luanne creates are of people she knows in their everyday life, such as my family, friends, and community members which gives the work a strong personal and emotional component. Luanne wants their lives and likenesses to be seen. She undertakes a deeper exploration of the relationships people hold with each other, sharing the stories of her family by weaving together personal narratives, home, identity, and culture. The paintings are from her gaze and the surface becomes a window into the everyday life, domestic setting, and familiar surroundings of the figures. The works are visual narratives of the complexities of their lives while expressing what it means to be Indigenous today.
Biography:
Luanne Redeye is portrait and figurative artist working at the intersection of autobiography and community.
Born in Jamestown, NY, Luanne grew up on the Allegany Indian Reservation in Western New York. It is from here where she draws connections to land, kinship, and culture in her artwork, which gives her pieces a strong personal and emotional component. Whether her art touches on the native experience, identity, or resiliency, Luanne’s work is always created through a Native lens sharing her experiences, knowledge, and perspective of navigating a modern world as a Native woman.
A citizen of the Seneca Nation and Hawk Clan, Luanne received her MFA in Painting and Drawing at the University of New Mexico. Her current art practice involves working across the mediums of painting, drawing, print, beadwork and textile.
She has been supported through residencies, exhibitions, and grants by various institutions, including Kent State University, Museum of Contemporary Native Arts, Institute of American Indian Arts, Santa Fe Art Institute, The Constance Saltonstall Foundation, New American Paintings, and the New York State Council on the Arts, among others.
Luanne currently lives and works in Berkeley, CA. This piece is now a part of the permanent collections of the Seneca Nation Onöhsagwë: de’ Cultural Center, and is currently on view in the new exhibition: Gayë’twahgeh: Cornplanter
The commissioned acquisition was made possible by a donation of the late Douglas Taylor.
