Jaune Quick-to-See Smith

1940 Born in St. Ignatius, Flathead Reservation, MT
1976 B.A., Framingham State College, MA
1980 M.A., University of New Mexico, NM

Jaune Quick-to-See Smith has often been referred to as a harbinger dedicated to preserving the heritage of American Indians. However, rather than concern for the past, she focuses on contemporary issues which result in a visual collage integrating traditional Indian symbols with strong gestural brushstrokes of abstract expressionism and text.

Smith’s work explores the ironies of myth and icons that abound in mainstream America about American Indians. She believes that the collaged text integrated in her work illustrates the complex relationships between and within communities, their histories and cultures.

Jaune Quick-to-See Smith has been featured in countless publications and many documentaries. Smith’s numerous solo and group exhibitions have been held at Jersey City Museum, NJ, The Chrysler Museum, the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo de Monterrey, Mexico, The IV South American Biennial and the National Museum of American Art.

Smith’s work can be found in the permanent collection of the Whitney Museum, New York, NY; MoMA, New York, NY; Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC among numerous others.