Brian Jungen: Strange Comfort

Native American artist Brian Jungen (Dunne-za) creates perceived icons of Indian culture from commonplace utilitarian objects — an igloo from trash cans, a whale skeleton from plastic chairs, an animal mobile from suitcases. Frequently, his materials are selected for their power to comment: "Much of Jungen's work is created out of sports paraphernalia — a suit of armor made of catcher mitts, a skull crafted from baseball skins, blankets woven from jerseys, and totem poles of stacked golf bags. It's a deliberate choice, Jungen says, to make art from materials belonging to an industry that has claimed names such as The Chiefs, Indians, Redskins and Braves."

Jungen's show, Strange Comfort, will be up at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C. through August 8, 2010, and will be the museum's the first solo show of a living Native American artist.