Marble
University of Notre Dame
Loading navigation...

Coyote's Blue Laughter from Lasting Impressions

Date

2001

Creator

Duane Slick

Location

Raclin Murphy Museum of Art

The multi-layer, multi-perspective of a laughing coyote is emblematic of Coyote's nature and of human nature. As an artist and storyteller of Native American ancestry (Ho chunk (Winnebago)/Mesquakie), Duane Slick uses the multiple images of Coyote in both his art and his stories to explore and to comment on human nature and issues which confront human society. Coyote, the trickster, is one of three main spokespersons who frequently appear in those pieces of Slick's art dealing with political and social issues. [...] In contemporary Native American art Coyote is often an ironic and humorous figure, which carries a message. For many contemporary Native Americans he symbolizes survival of Native American culture, perhaps because from the time Europeans began colonizing North America, the Coyote has always had a bounty placed upon him somewhere, and yet, Coyote survives. The species still ranges throughout North America from the Arctic to Mexico, from the West Coast to the East Coast. Coyote's numbers have not diminished. As a species coyotes have adapted to their current environments whether undeveloped, rural, or suburban with great success. [...] Duane Slick describes his use of Coyote, the trickster spirit, as a critical voice which has the courage to address issues important to human society, a voice which manifests Native American values. Duane Slick began using Coyote as one of his three main spokespersons in 1990, when he began the political commentary aspect of his art. In 1991 Slick launched a project entitled, "Coyote Looks Into His Mind." It is a performance piece, which includes storytelling, lectures, drawings, and artists' books. As Slick expresses it, "He (Coyote) was saying things that I don't always say...or would not have said. He (Coyote) was not afraid to speak...[He has] a voice that addresses the issues." Coyote seems to allow Slick, the artist, to comment on those issues in society which concern him both as a Native American and as an American artist. In Coyote's Blue Laughter, Slick shows his spokesperson in Coyote's most important aspect, humor, laughing at what he observes. Presumably, what he observes of human society is what makes him laugh. from Snite Museum of Art, Face to Face (Notre Dame, 2003)

Cite This
The multi-layer, multi-perspective of a laughing coyote is emblematic of Coyote's nature and of human nature. As an artist and storyteller of Native American ancestry (Ho chunk (Winnebago)/Mesquakie), Duane Slick uses the multiple images of Coyote in both his art and his stories to explore and to comment on human nature and issues which confront human society. Coyote, the trickster, is one of three main spokespersons who frequently appear in those pieces of Slick's art dealing with political and social issues. [...] In contemporary Native American art Coyote is often an ironic and humorous figure, which carries a message. For many contemporary Native Americans he symbolizes survival of Native American culture, perhaps because from the time Europeans began colonizing North America, the Coyote has always had a bounty placed upon him somewhere, and yet, Coyote survives. The species still ranges throughout North America from the Arctic to Mexico, from the West Coast to the East Coast. Coyote's numbers have not diminished. As a species coyotes have adapted to their current environments whether undeveloped, rural, or suburban with great success. [...] Duane Slick describes his use of Coyote, the trickster spirit, as a critical voice which has the courage to address issues important to human society, a voice which manifests Native American values. Duane Slick began using Coyote as one of his three main spokespersons in 1990, when he began the political commentary aspect of his art. In 1991 Slick launched a project entitled, "Coyote Looks Into His Mind." It is a performance piece, which includes storytelling, lectures, drawings, and artists' books. As Slick expresses it, "He (Coyote) was saying things that I don't always say...or would not have said. He (Coyote) was not afraid to speak...[He has] a voice that addresses the issues." Coyote seems to allow Slick, the artist, to comment on those issues in society which concern him both as a Native American and as an American artist. In Coyote's Blue Laughter, Slick shows his spokesperson in Coyote's most important aspect, humor, laughing at what he observes. Presumably, what he observes of human society is what makes him laugh. from Snite Museum of Art, Face to Face (Notre Dame, 2003)
Open external viewer application
  • The multi-layer, multi-perspective of a laughing coyote is emblematic of Coyote's nature and of human nature. As an artist and storyteller of Native American ancestry (Ho chunk (Winnebago)/Mesquakie), Duane Slick uses the multiple images of Coyote in both his art and his stories to explore and to comment on human nature and issues which confront human society. Coyote, the trickster, is one of three main spokespersons who frequently appear in those pieces of Slick's art dealing with political and social issues. [...] In contemporary Native American art Coyote is often an ironic and humorous figure, which carries a message. For many contemporary Native Americans he symbolizes survival of Native American culture, perhaps because from the time Europeans began colonizing North America, the Coyote has always had a bounty placed upon him somewhere, and yet, Coyote survives. The species still ranges throughout North America from the Arctic to Mexico, from the West Coast to the East Coast. Coyote's numbers have not diminished. As a species coyotes have adapted to their current environments whether undeveloped, rural, or suburban with great success. [...] Duane Slick describes his use of Coyote, the trickster spirit, as a critical voice which has the courage to address issues important to human society, a voice which manifests Native American values. Duane Slick began using Coyote as one of his three main spokespersons in 1990, when he began the political commentary aspect of his art. In 1991 Slick launched a project entitled, "Coyote Looks Into His Mind." It is a performance piece, which includes storytelling, lectures, drawings, and artists' books. As Slick expresses it, "He (Coyote) was saying things that I don't always say...or would not have said. He (Coyote) was not afraid to speak...[He has] a voice that addresses the issues." Coyote seems to allow Slick, the artist, to comment on those issues in society which concern him both as a Native American and as an American artist. In Coyote's Blue Laughter, Slick shows his spokesperson in Coyote's most important aspect, humor, laughing at what he observes. Presumably, what he observes of human society is what makes him laugh. from Snite Museum of Art, Face to Face (Notre Dame, 2003)
  • The multi-layer, multi-perspective of a laughing coyote is emblematic of Coyote's nature and of human nature. As an artist and storyteller of Native American ancestry (Ho chunk (Winnebago)/Mesquakie), Duane Slick uses the multiple images of Coyote in both his art and his stories to explore and to comment on human nature and issues which confront human society. Coyote, the trickster, is one of three main spokespersons who frequently appear in those pieces of Slick's art dealing with political and social issues. [...] In contemporary Native American art Coyote is often an ironic and humorous figure, which carries a message. For many contemporary Native Americans he symbolizes survival of Native American culture, perhaps because from the time Europeans began colonizing North America, the Coyote has always had a bounty placed upon him somewhere, and yet, Coyote survives. The species still ranges throughout North America from the Arctic to Mexico, from the West Coast to the East Coast. Coyote's numbers have not diminished. As a species coyotes have adapted to their current environments whether undeveloped, rural, or suburban with great success. [...] Duane Slick describes his use of Coyote, the trickster spirit, as a critical voice which has the courage to address issues important to human society, a voice which manifests Native American values. Duane Slick began using Coyote as one of his three main spokespersons in 1990, when he began the political commentary aspect of his art. In 1991 Slick launched a project entitled, "Coyote Looks Into His Mind." It is a performance piece, which includes storytelling, lectures, drawings, and artists' books. As Slick expresses it, "He (Coyote) was saying things that I don't always say...or would not have said. He (Coyote) was not afraid to speak...[He has] a voice that addresses the issues." Coyote seems to allow Slick, the artist, to comment on those issues in society which concern him both as a Native American and as an American artist. In Coyote's Blue Laughter, Slick shows his spokesperson in Coyote's most important aspect, humor, laughing at what he observes. Presumably, what he observes of human society is what makes him laugh. from Snite Museum of Art, Face to Face (Notre Dame, 2003)
  • The multi-layer, multi-perspective of a laughing coyote is emblematic of Coyote's nature and of human nature. As an artist and storyteller of Native American ancestry (Ho chunk (Winnebago)/Mesquakie), Duane Slick uses the multiple images of Coyote in both his art and his stories to explore and to comment on human nature and issues which confront human society. Coyote, the trickster, is one of three main spokespersons who frequently appear in those pieces of Slick's art dealing with political and social issues. [...] In contemporary Native American art Coyote is often an ironic and humorous figure, which carries a message. For many contemporary Native Americans he symbolizes survival of Native American culture, perhaps because from the time Europeans began colonizing North America, the Coyote has always had a bounty placed upon him somewhere, and yet, Coyote survives. The species still ranges throughout North America from the Arctic to Mexico, from the West Coast to the East Coast. Coyote's numbers have not diminished. As a species coyotes have adapted to their current environments whether undeveloped, rural, or suburban with great success. [...] Duane Slick describes his use of Coyote, the trickster spirit, as a critical voice which has the courage to address issues important to human society, a voice which manifests Native American values. Duane Slick began using Coyote as one of his three main spokespersons in 1990, when he began the political commentary aspect of his art. In 1991 Slick launched a project entitled, "Coyote Looks Into His Mind." It is a performance piece, which includes storytelling, lectures, drawings, and artists' books. As Slick expresses it, "He (Coyote) was saying things that I don't always say...or would not have said. He (Coyote) was not afraid to speak...[He has] a voice that addresses the issues." Coyote seems to allow Slick, the artist, to comment on those issues in society which concern him both as a Native American and as an American artist. In Coyote's Blue Laughter, Slick shows his spokesperson in Coyote's most important aspect, humor, laughing at what he observes. Presumably, what he observes of human society is what makes him laugh. from Snite Museum of Art, Face to Face (Notre Dame, 2003)
Duane Slick (Native American, 1961)
2001
Prints
Six-color lithograph on white BFK paper
2001.061.007
Canis latrans
Not on view, please request access
13 x 10 in. (33.02 x 25.4 cm)
Mr. and Mrs. Russell G. Ashbaugh Jr., ND '48

Our collection information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. If you have spotted an error, please contact Raclin Murphy Museum of Art at RMMACollections@nd.edu.