Honest Arrogance

Sherman Alexie tells it his way

By Mary Lee Pappas

Sherman Alexie is a normal dude for a hugely successful, young author. He wakes up late, watches TV, plays basketball, hangs out with the family and drinks too much diet Pepsi. He even had a mullet hairdo for a time. His abnormality may be his talent. “I get accused of being arrogant. That’s a word that always gets thrown in my way as if it was an insult – and it’s a compliment.“

“Every artist on this planet is an arrogant bastard. The creation of art is an arrogant process. To believe that other people would somehow be interested in your opinion of anything is arrogant. It’s hugely arrogant, so I am arrogant, but then so is everybody else. At least I’m honest about it and I’m ambitious and I’m honest about that.“

During our interview, Alexie is honest about Bobby Knight – he’s a fan. He’s honest about Indiana – “It’s extreme Bible Belt. It’s not the hotbed of intolerance. It’s the birthplace of the KKK. It’s not Wisconsin. It’s funny that a state named after Indians has a reputation for intolerance.“ He was honest about his favorite color – blue and varied derivations of blue.

Alexie's honesty extends into his works. His characters are believable people mostly Spokane and Coeur d’Alene Indian like himself. His straight narrative exposes the naïve, humble side of people – their insecurities, their quest to be true to themselves. “Everybody has that same struggle for identity regardless of their race, their culture or class. You know, Hemingway‘s white guys are struggling for their identity.“

Alexie found main stream success while breaking down popularly defined themes of the West and Indian people. He explains that what usually happens with Indians is that non-Indians represent them “whether it be painting, photography, music, movies, books whatever… they’re always portrayed as the experts and Indian artist never get that designation… we’re just the Indians. It all relates back to Indian images. Indian images have always been owned and determined by non-Indians." He describes the role famed Western artist, Remington and Russell, have had as “uncomplicated, unquestion images about what Indian is. It’s all the same damn image of that stoic, big-cheeked, big-chinned, Indian warrior and that’s still the case in mascots. We don’t get to smile!“

He goes on to say that “Pop culture has not changed its treatment of Indians very much. Tonto is still alive. The national idea of what Indians are hasn’t changed very much. I mean, there are only two kinds of Indians allowed in the national consciousness: the environmental savior or the hostile warrior. And it’s been that way since the very beginning."

A bad-guy cop reads a Tony Hillerman mystery in Alexie ‘s novel Indian killer. Hillerman's a popular non-Indian author, setting his mysteries on the Navajo Pueblo. "He writes good mysteries, but they’re pretty much Navajo 101,“ Alexie says.

Hillerman‘s fans perceive him as an expert. “I don’t think he does a whole lot to contradict that image. I’d be curious… he’s made millions of dollars writing about Navajos. I wonder how much of that money Navajos have benefited from?“

In contrast, Alexis‘s characters are complex, normal people, not generic Indians. They do not mirror or feed the stereotypes, nor do they except them. They struggle with the stereotypes.

So where can people who don’t want to be colonizers get a proper idea of history? “Stay away from anything that has spirituality associated with it." Alexie recommends turning books over to check the category. “If it says spirituality, self-help or New Age don’t read it.“ No medicine bundles from the 7-Eleven either. “Stay away from any spiritual text involving Indians, including those written by Indians.“

So what resources should someone with any interest in anything Indian turn to? Alexie rattles authors off with whippet speed, “Read fiction written by Indians. Stay away from history books." He recommends Simon Ortiz, Joy Harjo, Scott Momaday, James Welsh, Adrian Lewis, Linda Hogan, Louis Erdich.

Speaking of spirituality, we have mascots. Alexie explains that mascots shouldn’t be talked about in terms of race: (P)eople get defensive because they think they are being accused of racism and nobody wants to be accused of that, not even racist.“

He suggested mascots be viewed from a religious standpoint. “Those feathers, those beads, those songs, that warpaint… all of that is Indian religious iconography. Mascots are not racist, they’re actually blasphemous. I would think that religious organizations - you know Christian, Buddhist, what have you - would actually be on our side in this. You would never see a Catholic priest running around the floor of the gymnasium throwing Communion wafers into the crowd. It’s the commercialization of somebody’s religion. I would think that religious people wouldn’t tolerate that. I’m interested in portraying this in a more common light and trying to appeal to peoples better instincts. And the fact remains that nobody wants their religion ridiculed. They got rid of the Sambo imagery, they got rid of Frito Bandito imagery and now they have to get rid of Chief Wahoo."

I ask him what he thinks people are looking for in his work. “I have no idea.“ I say that I know they don’t get all of his jokes because I don’t get all of his jokes. “I don’t get all the jokes,“ he says downing Diet Pepsi from a liter container. When I ask him what he wants people to know about him, he gives me an arrogant, honest answer. “People are going to think what they think I have no control over that.“

"So Long Owen Findsen, Hello Descriptivism" by Steve Ramos - City Beat - 11.16.2000

So Long Owen Findsen, Hello Descriptivism
By Steve Ramos
City Beat

On one level, this column is a sincere farewell to Cincinnati Enquirer visual arts critic Owen Findsen, whose retirement from the morning daily is impending. A good-luck party is planned Friday at The Carnegie in Covington.

Now, I need to make somewhat of a disclaimer. I really don't know Findsen. We've been introduced on a few occasions, but I wouldn't refer to us as even friendly acquaintances. Still, I wanted to publicly recognize Findsen and his work at The Enquirer.

It's my hometown newspaper, too, so when the visual arts critic at the city's dominant media outlet steps down I wonder what's going to be done to replace him. I value the arts community in Cincinnati. More importantly, I'm aware how crucial it is for The Enquirer to cover the arts in a substantial and serious manner.

All of which explains my farewell to Findsen. I'm a little uneasy that the paper's visual arts critic is stepping down with no replacement in sight. My guess is that local artists and art administrators are uneasy, too.

Decisions by Enquirer editors are none of my business, of course, though I've heard that Findsen's job has been posted. But in light of the recent downsizing of arts coverage into the Sunday food section -- the result being an embarrassing section called Tempo-Taste-The Arts -- I find it hard to believe that Findsen will be replaced in a competent or professional manner.

People might find fault with the editorial assignments given Findsen -- Big, Bigger and the Biggest Pig Coverage -- but there was never any doubt about the experience and the knowledge behind his writing. Now, at a time when many daily newspapers hire critics with no knowledge of the subject they're reviewing, you have to wonder who will take Findsen's place.

"I think it's important for the public to have an experienced critic who can break it down and make an impact," says Dialogue Executive Editor Meg Galipault. "A lot of newspapers hire critics with no knowledge, and that's really a shame. Instead of getting a full understanding of the visual arts, esthetics and some kind of humanity lesson, the readers get what I call descriptivism: 'This is a painting with a blue box and the blue box sits on a green field.' "

At Dialogue, a bi-monthly arts publication focusing on Midwest artists and exhibitions, Galipault knows first-hand how important local coverage is to a city's cultural scene. She also understands the impact an arts critic can make on the local arts community.

"My experience, based on the Columbus scene, is that the local arts critic is vital to the community," she says. "They raise the profile of local artists. Granted, the level of criticism is not what it should be, but at least it's there.

"Daily newspapers have a great responsibility to the community regarding the arts. You're not going to see it on television. And if you are at all concerned about a city's cultural life, you have to report on it."

Some Cincinnati artists currently are planning a letter-writing campaign to protest the recent downsizing of The Enquirer's arts coverage. Key arts administrators hope for a personal meeting with Enquirer Editor Ward Bushee, though it's not clear what their impact might be.

As I said, I care about the quality of arts coverage in The Enquirer. Most Cincinnatians don't subscribe to Art in America or Dialogue. The New York Times covers just the New York arts community and national stories. A weekly newspaper like CityBeat can only do so much when it comes to comprehensive coverage of the visual arts community.

Like it or not, Cincinnati artists and arts institutions need Enquirer coverage. On the eve of Findsen's departure, one wonders what that coverage is going to be from here on out.


Contact steve ramos: sramos@citybeat.com
E-mail Steve Ramos

 

Allotropy Dos!

Primary Colors, an inspired brotherhood comprised of artists Fred Shields, Jeff Martin, Tony Garcia, Robert Evans, III and Dane Sauer, presents Allotropy Dos, their sequel benefit for the Urban Arts Consortium. Their mission: to pursue positive changes in our community through awareness of cultural diversity, education of children, as well as adults, and artistic expression. Your $5 donation/access fee to the hoopla production will included beer and hearty grub compliments of Rock Bottom Brewery. Original art available for purchase. Follow the search light to Rock Bottom Brewery at 10 West Washington St. - the exhibition takes place on the floors above! October 13, 5 to 11 p.m., October 14, 3 to 9 p.m. Advance tickets are available at The Bungalow, MT Cup, The Monon Coffee Co., Northside News, and NUVO.

Gruesome Gallery

On the first day of Halloween, my arch foe gave to me...very pretty decoupage, swirly, mosaic painted frames, vases and decorative items for the home from the Bungalow. My arch foe has great taste. Intricate images of creepy cats, icky witches, sardonic Satans and other patrons of THE Hallowed Eve embellish everything that artist Gretchen Banning can get her hands on. Tiny spooky images twist into tricky tangles. A complex of dinky demonic deviance cover her glassware, furniture and paintings. Said objects of temptation (treats if you will) will be featured at the Bungalow for your All Saints Day decorating needs during the month of October. Mr. E. DJ will spin appropriately dark music 6 to 9 p.m. at the appropriately ominous opening reception on October 6. The Bungalow is located at 924 E. Westfield Blvd., (317) 253-5028.

 

Bizarre and all true: Greg Brown

Greg Brown of Utrillo's Art is an intellectual social historian wild man. Two-D specimens of mundane popular “art" pieces of the 20th century - every man’s art – fill the crotchety confines of his rather unarchivally sound gallery space. Fashionable wall art of the middle classes, and then some, is staggered about. Kitsch. Campy. Bizarre and all true. Once upon a 1963 suburb, someone’s Aunt Lula displayed a self-generated paint-by-numbers of kittens on black velvet. These cheaply framed relics are again appreciated, salvaged from salvage stores, shedding a new dim and dusty light on how our culture has perceived art and the length (Mother, may I take one giant step to the craft aisle at Walmart?) we’ve gone to do it ourselves in our instant coffee worlds. Greg knows this. He is a cultural historian. A thinker.

Brown is also an apt painter, a good one at that, putting his pop collections to shame. A series of monumental wood panels (15 major groupings, containing a total of 126 panels) inspired by “The Secret Kingdom,“ a pamphlet written by Brown, the thinker, will open Friday, September 1 with a reception beginning at 7 p.m. The body of work is called The Kingdom of Heaven is like the Psychological Realm. Pieces have a religious orientation. They resemble stained glass windows with deep cobalt hues and geometric patterns. Arches of light look like doorways to heaven and or entries into a lion filled arena. The exhibit will run through September 4 in the Legion Hall directly across from Utrillo's Art, 3318 E. 10th St. Call (317) 684-3883 for info. Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

*Artist, Utrillo's Art, Greg Brown, Visual artist, Indiana, The Secret Kingdom, Painter, Indianapolis gallery