Yatika Starr Fields

Yatika Starr Fields (born 1980) is a Native American painter, muralist and street artist, born in the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma. His artworks were shown at numerous galleries and museums, including the APEC Young Artist Exhibition and recently in the Sam Noble Museum.

Fields' artworks explores the themes of family, community, and cultural diversity to illustrate its significance in societal norms for Native Americans.[1]

Biography

Yatika Fields grew up in an artistic family and followed in the footsteps of his parents, Tom and Anita Fields, who are both Native artists themselves. Yatika Fields is part of the Cherokee, Creek and Osage tribes. He is also a Bear clan member. In the Creek and Osage tribes, he is named Yvtekv (meaning "interpreter"), and has some multivalent projects that are open to the audience.[2] The name Ho-moie was also given to him from the members of the Osage tribes. Fields' techniques involve using oil, acrylic, and watercolour mediums on canvases and paper to create his works of art. He utilizes bright, vibrant colours which are visible in his large illustrations. His mural pieces are expressed inside galleries and outside on the streets, which is where he continues to produce his graffiti art.

Life and education

Yatika Starr Fields attended Stillwater High School where he found his passion for painting.[3] In high school, he was given many opportunities where he learned a variety of different techniques.

In 2000, Yatika attended a college-level summer painting course in Italy, which was organized by an art professor from Oklahoma State University (OSU).[1] In November, he presented himself at the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting where he was chosen to represent young Native American artists.[3] In this regard, he studied how to paint with materials, such as light and colour. In his graffiti pieces, he uses distinctive approaches (lines, movement, layering), which differentiates him from other painters.[1] He then graduated from high school and attended the Art Institute of Boston from 2001 to 2004. During these years, he continued to paint, and he began to work on large murals. This was where he developed his interest in graffiti art.

The use of strong and vibrant colours in his pieces portray the diverse groups of Indigenous people. Through Yatika’s artworks, he encourages individuals to have an enhanced understanding on indigenous culture because of the way they are misrepresented in society. He paints his large murals in Indigenous areas and in places that aren’t as wealthy. He creates his art in these communities because he wants to brighten these sites with bold colours in order to show the beauty of that specific place.

At the moment, he lives in Brooklyn, New York City. He still paints, and he is inspired by the energetic and lively city which fuels his creativity.[2]

Artworks

White Buffalo Calf Woman

In 2017, Yatika Starr Fields took part in a protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline (#NODAPL), which involved an oil pipeline running through rivers near the Standing Rock reservation. The Standing Rock tribe saw this as an issue because it could have harmed their indigenous land containing ancestral burial grounds.[4] He showed his involvement in the protest through his art. This oil on canvas artwork is divided into three sections that illustrate different elements. The sunrise and sunset are painted on the top and lower half of the painting to indicate the time the ceremony took place.[4] In the centre, there are three women marching on the street, wearing a long skirt or dress with winter boots. The shawl that is worn over the women’s clothes is a symbol for the White Buffalo Calf Woman.[1] Yatika Fields painted this piece to show his support for the women protesting and standing up for the Standing Rock tribes.

Sami Solidarity

An oil on canvas painted by Yatika Fields in 2017 portrays the hardships of protecting Indigenous land.[5]There are many vibrant colours that was used in this piece. In 2016, Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish indigenous people and two Sami women were leaving the Oceti Sakowin. This was a camp resisting the Dakota Access Pipeline where indigenous people would stand up for their rights against government oppression.[6] The two indigenous individuals in the painting are wearing gákti which is a traditional item of clothing. The gákti is worn during ceremonies that are "characterized by bands of contrasting colors, a high collar embroidery and tin art"[6] Yatika Fields captured this moment to illustrate the realities of indigenous people.

Prayer for the Return of Bees

This is an oil on canvas, painted in 2008.[6] Through this piece, Yatika Fields tried to imagine a world where bees were extinct. Thus, he wanted to show the global issue of the decline in bee population.[7] He added elements of nature while using bright and bold colours.

Ultra-Running and Painting

Fields runs Ultramarathons several times each year and in August, 2019 completed the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) TDS, a 145-kilometer (90-mile) trail race in the Alps with 9,100-meters of elevation change. Fields says there is a connection between his running and his painting.

I’m still figuring it out, but I think it’s the same thing: It’s about being patient with results. It’s about being consistent to the devotion of the art—running is an art form; painting is an art form; your body is an art form; movement is an art form. These are all things that are both shared between the brush and the legs and the mind. Running is colorful; painting is colorful. Running is poetry; painting is poetry. I’ve found a really eloquent correlation between the two that’s kind of hard to describe almost, but it’s about movement.[8]

Exhibitions

Yatika Starr Fields has his artworks exhibited in these exhibitions. His resume lists the following:[9]

  • National Scholastic Art Exhibit, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington DC (1999)[10]
  • Contemporary Indigenous Arts: Discovering the Roots (APEC) Young Artist Exhibition, Malaysia (2000)
  • Contemporary Indian Market Show, Santa Fe (2007)
  • Dynamic Interpretations, Southern Plains Museum, Oklahoma (2008)
  • In-Visibility, Amerinda, New York City (2009)[11]
  • Inside-Outside, Lovetts Gallery, Oklahoma (2010)
  • Exhibit of the Salon du Dessin et de la Peinture à l’Eau, Grand Palais, Paris, France (2011)[12][13]
  • Indigenous Water Rights, MainSite Gallery, Oklahoma (2012)
  • Unraveling Time, Alexandria Museum of Art, Los Angeles (2013)[14]
  • Affiliated: The Art of the Urban Experience, Brisky Gallery, Florida (2013)[15]
  • Contemporary Native Group Show, Chiaroscuro Contemporary Art, Santa Fe (2013)[16]
  • Annual Contemporary Native American Group Show, Chiaroscuro Contemporary Art, Santa Fe (2014)[17]
  • Santa Fe Indian Market Group Show, BlueRain Gallery, Santa Fe (2015)[18]
  • Cultural Crossroads Group Exhibition, Joseph Gierek Fine Art, Tulsa Oklahoma (2017)[19]
  • Solo Exhibition, Rainmaker Gallery, Bristol UK (2017)[20]
  • Fluent Generations: The Art of Anita, Tom, and Yatika Fields, Oklahoma (2018)[21]
  • Decadence, Solo Exhibition, TAC Gallery, Oklahoma (2018)[22]
  • Art For A New Understanding, IAIA, Santa Fe (2019)[23]
  • Monarchs, Bluestar Contemporary, San Antonio (2019)[24]
  • Artist in Residence, Crow's Shadow Institute of the Arts (2019)[25]

Honors and awards

In 2000, Yatika Starr Fields received the American Vision Award after he graduated from Stillwater High School.[26] He took part in the Unexpected and the Fort Smith Symphony collaboration. Yatika Fields and students from the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith (UAFS) painted what they envisioned when they heard an orchestral piece being played.[27]

Collections

Yatika Starr Fields' work can be seen in:

References
  1. Swan, Daniel C (2018). Fluent generations: the art of Anita, Tom, and Yatika Fields. Norman, Oklahoma: Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History. p. 24. ISBN 9780692073049.
  2. Mithlo, Nancy (2011). Manifestations: New Native Art Criticism. Fordfoundation. p. 98. ISBN 978-0-615-48904-9.
  3. "NAAR | NATIVE AMERICAN ARTIST ROSTER". www.amerinda.org. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  4. Swan, Daniel C (2018). Fluent generations: the art of Anita, Tom, and Yatika Fields. Norman, Oklahoma: Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History. p. 25. ISBN 9780692073049.
  5. Swan, Daniel C (2018). Fluent generations: the art of Anita, Tom, and Yatika Fields. Norman, Oklahoma: Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History. p. 83. ISBN 9780692073049.
  6. Powell, Jami C. Creating An Osage Future: Art Resistance, and Self-Representation. Chapel Hill, 2018. p. 221
  7. Daniel C, Swan (2018). Fluent generations: the art of Anita, Tom, and Yatika Fields. Norman, Oklahoma: Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History. p. 89. ISBN 9780692073049.
  8. Tulsa People. "It's a Prayer: Tulsa Artist Fellow Yatika Fields on the harmony of ultra-running and painting" by Mason Whitehorn Powell. September 18, 2019
  9. "Resume". Yatika Fields. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  10. "The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards: National Student Art Exhibition of 2006 at the Corcoran Gallery of Art | Corcoran". www.corcoran.org. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  11. Inc. (AMERINDA), American Indian Artists (2009-04-11). The Importance of In/Visibility. American Indian Artists Incorporated (AMERINDA). ISBN 978-0-9898565-3-9.
  12. "Homepage | RMN - Grand Palais". www.grandpalais.fr. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  13. "Osage artists take Paris with their creations". www.osagenews.org. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  14. ArtFacts. "Yatika Starr Fields | Artist". ArtFacts. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  15. "Yatika Starr Fields". ArtSlant. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  16. FeNMUS, Chiaroscuro Contemporary Art 558 Canyon Road87501 Santa. "exhibitions & events". ArtSlant. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  17. FeNMUS, Chiaroscuro Contemporary Art 558 Canyon Road87501 Santa. "exhibitions & events". ArtSlant. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  18. "Tent Metaphor #2 by Yatika Fields". -. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  19. "Yatika Fields : Joseph Gierek Fine Art | Tulsa, Oklahoma". www.gierek.com. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  20. "Yatika Fields". Rainmaker Gallery. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  21. "Fluent Generations: The Art of Anita, Tom & Yatika Fields-Visit Norman". www.visitnorman.com. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  22. "Exhibitions | TAC Gallery". tacgallery.org. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  23. "Action + Activation: Art for a New Understanding—Panel Discussion > Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA)". Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA). Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  24. "Monarchs: Brown and Native Contemporary Artists in the Path of the Butterfly | Blue Star Contemporary". bluestarcontemporary.org. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  25. "Artist in Residence Reception - Yatika Fields". Crow's Shadow. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  26. "Live painting performance with Yatika Fields - Oklahoma State University". news.okstate.edu. Retrieved 2020-03-02.
  27. "When Art Moves Like Music". dosouthmagazine.com. Retrieved 2020-03-02.
  28. "Yatika Fields". OSU Museum of Art. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  29. "Exhibits". samnoblemuseum.ou.edu. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  30. "Yatika Fields". Heard Museum | ARGUS.net (Final). Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  31. "The People. The Land. The Art". Gilcrease Museum.
  32. "White Buffalo Calf Women March | Hood Museum". hoodmuseum.dartmouth.edu. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  33. "Yatika Starr Fields | Research Center for Material Culture". www.materialculture.nl. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
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