Another Indian Art Rip-Off: Art Sale for Greed

Which Indian Benefits from This Sale?

(Link to original article)

The Boulin ArtInfo writes on it's online news magazine for today: High Noon for Western Art Lovers, As Coeur d'Alene Rides Into Reno for Its Annual Bank-Busting Sale

Coeur d'Alene Art Auction, Hayden, Idaho (artinfo.com)

The article above is in support of the profitable Coeur d’Alene Art Auction July 21st touting the proposed sale of a war shirt known to have been Chief Joseph's of the Nez Perce. On October 5th,1877 Chief Joseph surrendered to U.S. General Nelson Appleton Miles in the Bear Paw Mountains.


There is speculation that this iconic personal piece of clothing, now called an art artifact may fetch an all time market high.


I like art for sale, I like art for profit. I don't like this. It strikes me personally as ghoulish and colonial in it's mind set.  I have no idea when this was obtained privately for sale or who was the original owner other than Chief Joseph. I do know it had great value to the original wearer and was worn with valiant pride.


I have seen scandal, fraud & greed in the art market this past year for setting prices to maintain wealth. Nothing new except the prices. The traded art trophies are outrageously expensive over all. Nothing wrong with that.


What I do find is wrong is a people whom were brought to extinction through genocide are now venerated publicly in clothing artifact prices as art for the purpose of greed. Does the buyer think some of the patina of the courage it took Chief Joseph and his 800 warriors, pursued by 2,000 U.S. calvary traveling over 1,170 miles across Oregon, Washington Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana will rub off on them? This shirt should either be in a museum or repatriated to the Nez Perce nation.


Art+Auction was just reporting the facts. The parent company and its ownership is a market leader in trend setting. At some point in time, if we truly want to make a change in the world, intent must be accompanied by conscience and responsibility. Perhaps the editorial staff supplying content as acceptable for online general reading may want to understand what they are truly promoting. I have never seen Holocaust memorabilia up for sale, genocide is genocide.


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