A Retrospective of the Art of Truman Lowe Celebrates One of the Most Acclaimed Native American Sculptors of the 20th Century

Growing up near the peaceful waters of the Black River in Wisconsin, traditional knowledge was gathered from the natural landscape and its resources. These cultural teachings and resources were used to develop the exhibition

The National Museum of the American Indian is proud to feature Water’s Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe, the first major retrospective of the acclaimed Ho-Chunk Nation artist. Water’s Edge features nearly 50 of Lowe’s sculptures, drawings, and paintings that explore the evolution of the artist’s work throughout his career, including 28 works from the National Museum of the American Indian collection. Lowe’s elegant sculptures made of willow branches, feathers, and other organic materials evoke the rivers, streams, and waterfalls of the Wisconsin woodlands where he spent the foundation of his early life. His elaborate sculptures and caringly rendered pastel and charcoal drawings draw inspiration from cultural traditions, memory, and human relationships to place and being.  The exhibition brings to light rarely-seen monumental works which include significant pieces from public and private collections. A companion catalogue (Books & Products | National Museum of the American Indian) offers a range of new perspectives, chronicling the artist’s life and the development of his work with scholarly essays and reflections by artists whose work has been impacted by Lowe.

Truman Lowe was raised inside the traditional territory of the Ho-Chunk Nation or “People of the Sacred Voice,” near Black River Falls, Wisconsin in the community known as Indian Mission. He was the youngest of six siblings and was bestowed the tribal name is Wakajahųkga.  He grew up speaking the Ho-Chunk language in an environment surrounded other tribal language speakers. Through his family, Truman was immersed in tribal culture, spirituality and kinship. His constant exposure as a youth to the outdoors gave him ample chance to embrace the natural world, which would play a major part in his future artistic development. At a young age, he was drawn to woodwork through observing his father Martin Lowe and mother Mabel make baskets. His mother specialized in creating split-ash baskets, while his father’s knowledge of working with natural materials instilled a connection to his surrounding environment. Through his parents’ basket making, he made conscientious use of all the natural materials that he collected throughout his career. From his parents he also learned the traditional arts of HoChunk ribbon work and beadwork. These Lowe family crafts were produced to sell in the tourist trade and were delivered in their family station wagon to Wisconsin Dells, providing an offset from the seasonal farming positions the family participated in. Lowe also acquired inspiration from neighboring Woodland people’s expertise with craft and construction.

After attending a two-room mission school, Lowe pursued art and obtained a bachelor’s degree in art education at University of Winsconsin, La Crosse. In 1973, he earned an MFA in sculpture from University of Wisconsin, Madison. In graduate school, he explored both the European and American art movements that fell under the umbrella of modernism, as well as the themes of land and identity. He briefly taught in Kansas before returning to Wisconsin where he was offered the position of Assistant Dean for Multicultural Affairs at UW–Madison in 1974. The following year he became the director of the American Indian Studies Program (AISP) and was appointed assistant professor of art education.

From 2000-2008 he was Curator of Contemporary Art for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI). During his time at the NMAI, he curated numerous exhibits including Native Modernism: The Art of George Morrison and Allan Houser (2004-2005), Continuum: 12 Artists at the NMAI's space in New York City, Fritz Scholder: Indian/Not Indian (2008), and exhibited the work of James Luna and Edgar Heap of Birds at the Venice Biennale in 2005 and 2007. His work can be found in the collections of many institutions, including the Eiteljorg Museum, the Heard Museum, the Portland Art Museum, the Denver Art Museum, the Peabody Essex Museum, the Milwaukee Art Museum, and the NMAI. He taught sculpture at UW–Madison until his retirement in 2010.

He left his legacy known for large-scale works that combine contemporary and traditional Native interpretation. Lowe is considered the preeminent Native American sculptor of his generation. Many of the water-related works also depict aspects of basketry, with splints of wood, which are usually used to form the shape of the basket. Again, this illustrates another connection to his family and community creations, inspired by his mother's basketry work.

“Truman Lowe’s art reflects on the waters and woodlands of his home, as well as family and cultural traditions, memory and knowledge,” said Rebecca Head Trautmann, exhibition curator. “We are excited to share his work and his story with our visitors.”

Dennis Zotigh | Read More

Dennis W. Zotigh (Kiowa/Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo/Isanti Dakota Indian) is a member of the Kiowa Gourd Clan and San Juan Pueblo Winter Clan and a descendant of Sitting Bear and No Retreat, both principal war chiefs of the Kiowas. Dennis works as a writer and cultural specialist at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.