Composition is the physical and spiritual combination of technique and materials which achieve an aesthetic harmony. It is what makes us gasp at the beauty of a basket flawlessly created from thousands of uniform stitches in a perfect fusion of materials, design, and shape. The making of art is, for Native cultures, the act of creating or restoring beauty or harmony in the universe. Composition reaches beyond material form to a higher consciousness. It is like a language with its own grammatical rules of comprehension and expression that are contained within cultural frameworks of language, philosophy, identity and history.
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captions.
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Paper, ink, pencil, crayon or colored pencil<br>
DAC 018LD
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, c. 1860&desc=Artist unknown, Tahltan<br>
Wool, cotton, glass beads, cotton thread<br>
DAC 169
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&desc=Artist unknown, Lakota<br>
Hide, cotton, glass beads, cotton thread, tinklers, horsehair<br>
DAC 270
&detail=It is often noted that the women were the abstract artists among the Sioux tribes. The artist who made this pair of bags overlaid entirely new material upon hide to create a glittering work, which, when seen from a distance, creates a lasting impression. Sometimes known as ^3possible bags^4^1used to store clothing and other possible stuff^1the bags both complimented and complemented the woman who rode on horseback. Their abstract designs provided careful balance with the world around.
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G. M.
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DAC 300
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DAC 496
&detail=Small objects, like this pouch, intimate and interactive, are meant to be handled and seen up close.
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K. A. M.
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