Our newest artist to the culturalpatina Gallery, Del Curfman

Our newest artist to the culturalpatina Gallery, Del Curfman will be sending me snaps of his new paintings very shortly and I will post them soonest. As a precursor to these, I thought you might like to get some additional information on the Artist and his Vanishing Series we will be high lighting shortly.

Del Curfman graduated from the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Studio Arts with an emphasis in painting and in Museum Studies in May 2017. He is currently a Newman’s Own Fellow at the Center for Native American Youth (CNAY) at the Aspen Institute based in Washington, D.C.

Curfman is known for his work with Apsaalooke’ (Crow Nation of Montana) imagery and cultural exploration. Curfman investigates heritage, tradition, and humanity through painting by incorporating techniques and styles of impressionism. With loose brushwork and semi-abstraction, he looks to capture the essence of nature in motion. He contributes through contemporary Native Artist history through his work in oil paints and community-based projects.

The Vanishing Series is a response to the perception that Native American culture has or will “vanish.” This idea of disappearance has been a mainstream thought that has only been propagated by Edward Curtis, a photographer who in 1904 produced a collection of photographs titled “Vanishing Race.”

"My paintings utilize the notion of vanishing through a stark white background crossing over Native American figures as if the sands of time and space are impermanent to a permanent people. Tradition will not be lost. The Vanishing Series aims to belie this exact idea, my artwork has become a vessel of cultural sharing and knowledge".

I have pasted below some snaps of him in his studio at work and one of his recent exhibitions. For additional information please contact Dennis at [email protected]. or go to culturalpatina.etsy.com, or culturalpatina.com.