Niman Kachina Dance c. 1925 - 1930

Fred Kabotie made this image of a Niman Kachina Dance with watercolor and graphite on paper. Looking at these figures, all lined up, reminds me of Sol LeWitt’s serial sculptures, but flatter! What was Kabotie thinking about, I wonder, as he painted each figure with such care, repeating and varying the motifs? Each dancer has slightly different details, which makes me think of how our hands can never make the exact same mark twice. The green and red hues feel ceremonial and earthy, deeply tied to tradition and place. You can feel the pulse of the dance, and I like how the ground is not really described, it's just this pale void. It makes the dance feel eternal. Painting always feels like a conversation with other artists across time, even if you don't know them. Fred Kabotie created a window into a world that’s both ancient and ever-present, a testament to the enduring power of art and ritual.