Oscar howe biography

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As his technique matured, so did the angle of view. The turtle shell at the bottom was used as a drum during the Buffalo Dance. In these poetic vignettes, such as in “Fighting Bucks” above—purchased by the NMAI from private collectors in 2018—the artist revels in the beauty and design sourced from the distinctive characteristics of animals in motion.

This and the other innovative paintings in the “Dakota Modern” exhibition continue to inspire.

While Howe was thoroughly educated in European and American art traditions of the 20th century, he insisted that his art in both form and execution was deeply rooted in Dakota compositional and philosophical traditions.

Oscar Howe (Yanktonai Dakota, 1915–1983), “War Dancer,” 1966; casein on board; 25.5” x 20”.

no. Instead of adhering to outdated expectations, Howe insisted the mainstream art world should change how it examined and categorized American Indian art. That year the artist challenged the jurors at the Philbrook's annual National Indian Painting Competition after they assessed one of his more abstract submissions as not Indian enough to qualify for an award.

Their renewed acquaintance during summers in Mitchell blossomed into a lasting friendship, further enriching Howe’s creative community.

Oscar Howe retired in 1980 and was named Professor Emeritus of Art at the University of South Dakota, a title he held until his death in 1983.

In 2022, a landmark exhibition titled Dakota Modern: The Art of Oscar Howe opened at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian in New York.

These qualities give Howe’s paintings a modernist character, but he based his style on the abstract tradition of Northern Plains Indian art, often citing the linearity of hide paintings as a principal source of inspiration. Contemporary artist Keith BraveHeart (Lakota) reflects, “The OHSAI program is a significant element of Howe’s legacy, and his foresight and compassion for the next generation of tribal artists (especially amongst the Northern Plains region), provides a further example of greatness and heart.”

According to Kathleen Ash-Milby, curator of the “Dakota Modern” exhibition and Native American Art at the Portland Art Museum in Oregon, this is the moment to put Howe’s legacy in perspective.

“It’s unfortunate that the art world was not ready or willing to understand that his work could be both Dakota and modern. In 1971, the U.S. Department of State appointed him as a cultural lecturer to the Near East and South Asia, during which he presented programs in nine countries.

From 1948 to 1971, Howe also designed panels for the iconic Mitchell Corn Palace.

Born on the Crow Creek Reservation in South Dakota, Howe was deeply rooted in the traditions of his people. He received the Golden Bear Award from the University of Oklahoma, Norman, in 1979.

Oscar Howe died of Parkinson’s disease on October 7, 1983, in Vermillion, South Dakota. His letter to Philbrook ignited a movement that advocated for artists’ innovation and individuality that has resonated through the generations of Native artists that followed.

The Storyteller

Howe believed his responsibility as an artist was to record and share Očhéthi Šakówiŋ knowledge.

Culture and Belief

While recovering from an illness as a child, Howe spent a great amount of time with his grandmother Shell Face, who taught him about Dakota culture and beliefs.

The pole is viewed at an acute angle, and it, too, appears to sway and bend as the rules of physics slip away.

Oscar Howe (Yanktonai Dakota, 1915–1983), “Sacro-Wi-Dance” (“Sun Dance”), 1965; casein on paper; 28” x 22.5”.

Almost all of the artist’s works, which reside at universities, museums, churches and private homes, were photographed specifically for this catalog. Serious health problems interrupted Howe's education, but he subsequently graduated from the school in 1933. Courtesy of the NMAI and Oscar Howe Family