Pictures at an Exhibition (C.S. 1854)

Date1989

Maker Jaune Quick-to-See Smith Native American, Citizen of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Nation, 1940 - 2025

Label TextSmith engages the languages of abstraction, expressionism, and Pop Art to interrogate American identity from a Native perspective and confront some of the most pressing issues of our age. This work is from her 1989–91 Chief Seattle (or C.S.) series, a compendium of canvases that deploy thick paint and the residue of consumer waste to critique the abuse and depletion of natural resources. Framed compositions comprised of crushed food and soda cans “float” across a field suggestive of contaminated water, while phrases attributed to the 19th-century Duwamish and Squamish leader Chief Si’ahl (Seattle) expound on the interconnectedness of human beings and nature. Drawing a clear link between the exploitation of the land and the blatant disregard for treaties made between the U.S. government and Native nations, this painting implores viewers to understand their connection to the earth and forestall ecological crisis for the survival of future generations.

Object number2025.5

ProvenanceThe artist; Estate of Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, 2025; [Garth Greenan Gallery, New York, New York, 2025]; purchased by the Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, Washington, 2025

Photo CreditPhoto: Scott Leen

Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Jaune Quick to See Smith: Memory Map, February 29 ‒ May 12, 2024.

Credit LinePurchased in honor of Barbara Brotherton, Curator of Native American Art, with funds from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Art Acquisition Fund, Margaret Fuller Purchase Endowment, Bruce Leven Acquisition Fund, American Art Acquisition Fund, and Northwest Art Fund

Dimensions72 × 72 in. (182.9 × 182.9 cm)

MediumMixed media on canvas