Gerald Clarke believes craftsmanship is the highest of virtues. It conveys pride, respect, and authority. Based in California, Clarke’s work aims “to give Indian culture back the humanity that has been taken from it by stereotypes created over the past five centuries.” Clarke works within different mediums including craft, installation, painting, performance, sculpture, and video. He considers himself “part traditionalist, part Disneyland” in his approach to art. Through the support of Harpo’s Native American Residency Fellowship, Clarke was able to spend time working at the Vermont Studio Center in 2017. Some of the work created during the residency will be on view at the Palm Springs Art Museum in late 2018.
(Excerpt and images below selected from grant proposal and artist’s website. All works are copyright of the artist.)