My DAM Favorite
Natura Non Facit Saltum 2005. Oil paint and pigmented silicone on wood. w: 46 in, h: 57 in, d: 2 ½ in.
Jeffrey Gibson. Mississippi Band Choctaw, Cherokee, American, b. 1972
Natura Non Facit Saltum is by far my favorite from the DAM’s collection of Indigenous Arts of North America. The painting is strikingly different from the rest of the gallery, and even more so from the rest of Jeffrey Gibson’s collection. The painting does not fail to stop visitors in their tracks, wanting to enjoy all its beauty and boldness.
Gibson’s painting features an abstract, primordial scene and instantly causes perplexity among its audience. The piece indirectly addresses the hardship of land loss, something experienced and felt by plenty of Indigenous peoples. More obvious to the eye, the artist depicts a natural utopia, full of color and organic form.
With a complex array of components, the painting presents a world of ambiguous nature. The message is slightly obscure, hidden beneath the allure of the work’s lively and whimsical appearance. Gibson’s choice of hues arouses pleasant emotions and positive reactions, and creates a moment of bliss for all who are lucky enough to encounter the piece. Plus the addition of three-dimensional shapes greatly contributes to the playful feeling of the work.
However, the melting of structures clearly seen in the picture offers a different list of emotions. The vibrant and neon arrangements are painted accompanied by drooping, liquifying lines on the undersides. Similar to this, the three-dimensional forms scattered over the surface suggest the deterioration of the environment, as the fundamental structures regress into the wood material. The painting figuratively portrays with the removal of Indigenous culture, tradition, and land, the fading away of indigenous existence.
Jeffrey Gibson discusses land loss forced upon Indigenous communities delicately and quite beautifully. The artist’s approach highlights and appreciates the ecology of Indigenous worlds, the importance of sharing between beings of life. But the artists makes sure to speak on the horror of land loss, one of many atrocities that has devastated the Indigenous connection of life.
Coming Up Next on MYDAMFAV:
The Haymaker (le foin) by Jules Breton