The beauty of Native American art

Joanne Prince’s work as the visionary behind Rainmaker Gallery in Westbury Park – the showcase for contemporary Native American art in Bristol – is internationally recognised.

Her work encourages cultural exchange, as she invites artists from the USA to experience sharing their creations to a responsive and ever-appreciative Bristol audience.

Visitors witness artists dictate how they are seen through their work, which aids to erase harmful stereotypes about Native peoples.

Here’s Jo (pictured above) to tell us more:

What motivated you to start Rainmaker Gallery and why did you choose to focus on showcasing contemporary Native American art, specifically?
In the 1980s I was working at the Commonwealth Institute in London where I came into contact with teachers seeking resources on “red Indians”. These teachers seemed attached to stereotypical ideas about indigenous North Americans and were content to pass on those ideas to yet another generation. I became aware of the total lack of real information. Such an information vacuum gets filled with childhood fantasies of cowboys and Indians. I found that the best way to expand ideas and perceptions was to seduce people with the beauty of Native art. My idea was to offer a space to Native people where they could represent themselves as unique and contemporary individuals from diverse Indigenous cultures.

Rainmaker Gallery sells jewellery as well as art

What do you love most about bringing contemporary Native artists to Bristol?
The cultural exchange is really important to me. Being able to share some of life in Bristol with artists from New Mexico, Oklahoma, Chicago or Arizona etc. feels quite special. For some artists, it is the first time they have travelled outside of America and so it is a real adventure for them and I love being instrumental in that experience. Also, getting contemporary Native art into museums here is a big deal, as that potentially reaches a much larger audience. It is important that Indigenous peoples are not forever seen as relics of the past but as essential members of, and contributors to, contemporary society.

What is some consistent feedback from locals regarding the gallery, the artists you showcase and your work?
People are surprised to find such a specialist gallery in Bristol and they enjoy having something completely unique in their neighbourhood. I am often told that it is so much more than a gallery, as visitors learn such a lot. Customers love to meet the artist in person; it deepens their appreciation, understanding and enjoyment of the art and the jewellery on show. The artists themselves are appreciative of the opportunity to travel and to show their work overseas. They understand how much dedication it has taken to continue doing this for three decades.

Do you think there needs to be a more focused education plan on Native American history, art and cultures in British school curriculums?
Yes, I do. I am still contacted by teachers wanting to teach about “Native American culture” (singular) and they are obviously unaware of the existence of the hundreds of distinct tribes, each with their own cultures, languages and traditions. The fact that educators have so little concept of the indigenous peoples of the most influential continent in the world is pitiful and needs to be addressed. I am happy to say that Marla Allison will be teaching workshops in a local school and also at the Bristol Museum & Art Gallery during her residency.

Find Rainmaker Gallery at 123 Coldharbour Road, Westbury Park, Bristol, BS6 7SN. Visit www.rainmakerart.co.uk for more information.