Marty Two Bulls Jr.
Grad Portfolio
Please let me know if you have any questions about the work in this portfolio. Thank you again for taking the time to write your letter. Here is the statement for the Lakota Quarantine Flag. My recommendation letters are due on January 14th.
Recent Articles:
Lincoln Journal Star Review of Dementia Americana Exhibition which I showed in and curated.
High Country News article about a Two Bulls Family exhibition which I showed in and curated.
Hyperallergic article about Monarchs exhibitions which I showed in and mentions my contribution.
"Lakota Quarantine Flag" 2020 Printed fabric. 22 x 22"
Lakota Quarantine Flag at one Pine Ridge Indian Reservation Health Checkpoint Description: This photo was taken of one of the Lakota Quarantine Flags at a tribal health checkpoint on Red Shirt Table. I donated the flag/bandanna to the front line checkpoint workers on our reservation where they were used as flags, masks, political statements, and learning tools.
"Land-Grab Universities" 2020 Illustration for High Country New Article. Description: This is a cover I designed for High Country News for their investigative article about land grant universities in America and how they were built on stolen indigenous land and resources.
"Anti Indigenous Playbook" 2020 Digital Illustration Description: This is a cover I designed for High Country News for their investigative article about land grant universities in America and how they were built on stolen indigenous land and resources. This is an Illustration I created for a joint article chronicling anti-indigenous oppression around the globe. The article was published in the Texas Observer, Aboriginal Peoples Television Networks, The Guardian Australia and High Country News. .
“Neither Good Nor Bad Medicine” 2019 Collaboration with Cannupa Hanska Luger Found Medicine Cabinet, Acrylic, Ceramic, UV Print, Cyanotype on Paper, Found Bullet Casings, Found Toothbrush. 25 x 17 x 5” Description: This piece is addresses several aspects of contemporary Lakota life and is very personal to me. The image on the glass is of the buffalo I killed for my Lakota manhood ceremony. The spent shell casings and cigarette butts reference one another and are representational of historical and current violence in my life. The imagery in the print reference that history as well.
“Unblessed” 2019. Found Medicine Cabinet, Ceramic, UV Print, Cyanotype, Plastic Rose. 23 x 17 x 5” Description: An exploration of alcohol in contemporary Lakota life.
“Traditional Artifact # 16” 2019 Glazed Ceramic. 11 x 7 x 7” Description: This series is an exploration of contemporary Lakota life. The milk jug is a ubiquitous contemporary vessel in Lakota life. Cows milk is a western delicacy. Many Lakota, including myself, are allergic to it. Recreating the jug in glazed ceramic elevates it beyond its original form; like a Grecian urn. The traditional Lakota geometric designs adorn the jug. The form is frozen in a state of violence much like contemporary Lakota life. The vessel is non-functional; much like the western paradigm that it represents. The title is a tongue and cheek reference to the way Lakota art is cataloged in museums.
“Traditional Artifact # 17” 2019 Glazed Ceramic. 11 x 7 x 7” Description: This series is an exploration of contemporary Lakota life. The milk jug is a ubiquitous contemporary vessel in Lakota life. Cows milk is a western delicacy. Many Lakota, including myself, are allergic to it. Recreating the jug in glazed ceramic elevates it beyond its original form; like a grecian urn. The traditional Lakota geometric designs adorn the jug. The vessel is non-functional; much like the western paradigm that it represents. The title is a tongue and cheek reference to the way Lakota art is cataloged in museums.
“Traditional Artifact #19” 2019 Glazed Ceramic 11 x 7 x 7” Description: This series is an exploration of contemporary Lakota life. The milk jug is a ubiquitous contemporary vessel in Lakota life. Cows milk is a western delicacy. Many Lakota, including myself, are allergic to it. Recreating the jug in glazed ceramic elevates it beyond its original form; like a grecian urn. The traditional Lakota geometric designs adorn the jug. The form is frozen in a state of violence much like contemporary Lakota life. The vessel is non-functional; much like the western paradigm that it represents. The title is a tongue and cheek reference to the way Lakota art is cataloged in museums.
“Traditional Artifact # 18” 2019 Glazed Ceramic 11 x 7 x 7” Description: This series is an exploration of contemporary Lakota life. The milk jug is a ubiquitous contemporary vessel in Lakota life. Cows milk is a western delicacy. Many Lakota, including myself, are allergic to it. Recreating the jug in glazed ceramic elevates it beyond its original form; like a grecian urn. The traditional Lakota geometric designs adorn the jug. The form is frozen in a state of violence much like contemporary Lakota life. The vessel is non-functional; much like the western paradigm that it represents. The title is a tongue and cheek reference to the way Lakota art is cataloged in museums.
“Carrion” 2019 Wood, Plastic Flowers, Ceramic, UV Print on Plexiglass. 11 x 11 x 4” Description: An exploration of alcohol in contemporary Lakota life.
“Cottonwood Queen” 2019 Wood, Plastic Cottonwood Branch, Ceramic, UV Print on Plexiglass. 11 x 11 x 4” Description: An exploration of alcohol in contemporary Lakota life.
“Hown” 2019 Wood, Glazed Ceramic, UV Print on Plexiglass. 11 x 11 x 4” Description: An exploration of alcohol in contemporary Lakota life.
“Phases” 2019 Wood, Acrylic, Ceramic, UV Print on Plexiglass. 11 x 11 x 4” Description: An exploration of alcohol in contemporary Lakota life.
"Honor Cake: Best Farmer (1868 Fort Laramie Treaty Article 14)" 2019 Acrylic, Cattle Marker, Vinyl, Found Paper, Plaster, Wood. 16.5 x 24.5 x 6.75” Description: This Memorial Cake was created for an exhibition addressing the 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty. Best Farmer was made in response to Treaty Article #14 which allotted an annual prize for the best farmer on the reservation. The Lakota were a nomadic culture that followed the buffalo. Farming was as foreign to them as a sheet cake. The Fort Laramie Treaty was designed to annihilate the Lakota people.
“In Loving Memory of Saturday Night” (Memorial Sheet Cake Series) 2018 Acrylic, Silkscreen, Found Paper, Plaster, Wood. 16.5 x 24.5 x 6.75” Description: Memorial Cakes are a contemporary Lakota custom that evolved through the reservation period. The origin of the custom is unknown but the Sheet Cake is an important component in honoring someone for an achievement or in death. The cakes are ornately adorned and paraded around for onlookers to admire. The cakes are very sweet which is unfortunate because diabetes is a major issue for modern Lakota.. My sheet cakes are non-functional, sugar free, and explore contemporary themes.
"Wasted" 2018 Glazed Ceramic. Variable Scale. Description: This installation utilized glazed ceramic vessels to investigate the relationship of Lakota and western culture. The forms are common commercial vessels found in the fridges of most contemporary Lakota people and are elevated through their depictions in glazed ceramic; a reference to classic Grecian urns. The imagery is a mixture of traditional Lakota geometrics juxtaposed with bullseyes and eyeballs. The eyes and bullseye are meant to reference one another and depict the western gaze. All of the vessels, the milk jug, soda can, beer bottle, contain drinks that are not conducive to a traditional Lakota diet and are the cause of many contemporary illnesses such as alcoholism, diabetes and lactose intolerance.
"Geechee Mon Wanagi" 2019 Glazed Ceramic. 12h x 5w x 5d" Description: A series created to explore contemporary Lakota aesthetics. The title references Japanese pop culture and Lakota language.
"Geechee Mon Sica" 2019 Glazed Ceramic. 14h x 4w x 4d" Description: A series created to explore contemporary Lakota aesthetics. The title references Japanese pop culture and Lakota language.
"Geechee Mon Unsica" 2019 Glazed Ceramic. 12h x 4w x 4d" Description: A series created to explore contemporary Lakota aesthetics. The title references Japanese pop culture and Lakota language.
"Geechee Mon Hiya" 2019 Glazed Ceramic. 12h x 6w x 6d" Description: A series created to explore contemporary Lakota aesthetics. The title references Japanese pop culture and Lakota language.
"Please, Please, Please" 2014 Ink, Rag Paper, Found Paper, Chine-cholle, Silk Screen. 22 x 30” Description: From a series intended as a continuation of Lakota star quilts with the intention of exploring contemporary themes associated with the traditional objects. Star quilts are given to honor people. For example, when a person graduates high school or if a person is a pallbearer at a funeral. My star quilts examine the complicated relationships of traditional Lakota values and Western values (money).
"Out Of The Dreams Of Children" 2014 Ink, Rag Paper, Found Paper, Chine-cholle, Silk Screen. 22 x 30” Description: From a series intended as a continuation of Lakota star quilts with the intention of exploring contemporary themes associated with the traditional objects. Star quilts are given to honor people. For example, when a person graduates high school or if a person is a pallbearer at a funeral. My star quilts examine the complicated relationships of traditional Lakota values and Western values (money).
"Dollar Store" 2014 Ink, Rag Paper, Found Paper, Chine-cholle, Silk Screen. 22 x 30” Description: From a series intended as a continuation of Lakota star quilts with the intention of exploring contemporary themes associated with the traditional objects. Star quilts are given to honor people. For example, when a person graduates high school or if a person is a pallbearer at a funeral. My star quilts examine the complicated relationships of traditional Lakota values and Western values (money).
“Bebop” 2016 Ink, Paint, Rag Paper, Found Paper, Chine-cholle, Plastic Flowers. 23h x 7w x 7”d Description: The Memorial Bouquet series are representations of plastic flower bouquets found in contemporary Lakota graveyards. The imagery is a mixture of traditional Lakota geometry, pop imagery, and jazz artists. I was examining the influences in my life which have led me to where I am along with ideas and emotions related to death and mourning.
“Clapping Cottonwoods” 2016 Ink, Paint, Rag Paper, Found Paper, Chine-cholle, Plastic Cottonwood Bough. 20h x 7h x 7”d Description: The Memorial Bouquet series are representations of plastic flower bouquets found in contemporary Lakota graveyards. The imagery is a mixture of traditional Lakota geometry, pop imagery, and jazz artists. I was examining the influences in my life which have led me to where I am along with ideas and emotions related to death and mourning.