Shapeshifting | Transformations in Native American Art

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• They are seeing the light for the fist time. They are experiencing the sounds of nature similar to the story by Plato, the allegory of the cave. If they are being born into the world from the darkness with in they are now experiencing the warmth and wisdom of the world around them./
  Apr 20 4:47 pm
• They see the world as it is in its purest form, with everything new and different.
  Feb 25 2:49 pm
• When they see this world for the first time, they do not see what they should see. They see war, and sadness when they should be seeing happiness and love.
  Feb 18 1:32 pm
• I have been looking at the world today through my 2 year old daughter's eyes. This piece reminds us of the interwoven duality of life and the world around us
  Feb 05 11:18 am
• My love and recognition. Pathos, pain, and incredible joy and intricacy as they look and absorb. Clay particles that some day turn to skin and dust, then into snowflake stars brilliant on the plains. They see what I see and what I can not see and could not say with words.
  Jan 28 3:55 pm
• They see this world as it was meant to be, prior to cultural constructs and paradigms created by man, such as "nature" versus the rest of "our world."
  Jan 22 1:08 pm
• These clowns are emerging from the dark lava core of chaos and rock to squint at fine dreams of sunshine and electric form.
  Jan 21 3:09 pm
• They are all seeing different aspects of the world: howling and laughing up at the stars, skeptically glancing at the road wondering where it goes.
  Jan 18 2:12 pm
• The sacred clowns see the world as it was, in its beauty before Western expansion and machines and pollution. They are in awe of what we take for granted-- the sky, the earth, the trees, the water.
  Jan 17 10:59 am
• I really enjoyed this sculputure of the koshares emerging from the world under us to our world, our plane of existence. The figures show amazement, seeing trees perhaps, one figure is either exulting that he made it or gazing at the wide, wide sky that that you see out west. I get the feeling of ACCOMPLISHMENT, THEY MADE IT! Some look tired, awed are they ready to take up their duties as clowns, spiritual clowns to teach the people how to act.
  I love how the Artist Roxanne Swentzell feels she has birthed them and worries how will they do in this world.
  Oct 05 2:18 pm
• Energy that begs to be channeled, directed in a way that honors the place of beginning.
  Apr 26 7:09 pm
• They are seeing the first impressions, the way the world wants to look. Full of innovation, progress and creativity. They don't see what has come with that however. They don't yet see the corruption of greed and capitalism, nor the evils of ultimate competition. They are receiving the world blinded by awe.
  Apr 24 12:03 pm
• Light and unfamiliar shapes...smells and colors that have no foundation in previous experience.
  Apr 19 12:35 pm
• They don't know what they see. The knowing is in the journey.
  Apr 15 3:51 pm
• Some of them see the hardships in the world, and some experience birth and the happiness of others
  Apr 11 11:21 am
• The beauty of the natural world, and the destruction of the natural world through greed. The awesome strength of the elements: wind fire and water. I hope they saw the beauty of human connection and the neccesity of separation.
  Mar 22 12:41 pm
• Infinite possibilities for good.
  Mar 15 12:16 pm
• These clowns, each seeing different things as they emerge, each have different responses, much like all of us. They are curious creatures to behold and are likewise curious themselves, much like a newborn.
  I think back to when my kids first discovered their hands as almost separate from themselves and then how they eventually became part of them. These clowns allow us to remember this duality.
  Mar 13 7:31 am
• The nature, the animals, and the people.
  Feb 25 3:34 pm
• They are seeing the world at its best. There is no pollution. Also, they see no humans texting, they just see nature.
  Feb 21 3:35 pm
• Mm.....delicious smells,the beautiful full sky or they could see pain,hurt,horror,they mostly look like laughing but one in the back looks sad or upset about leaving where he was created or where he belonged.the one on the left has a sly grin,almost like he is planning a little surprise or a faint little laugh almost.
  Feb 21 1:53 pm
• They see surprises, have suspicions, drink in the experience and plan their immediate future.
  Feb 19 1:15 pm
• There is no judgement in their eyes. They seem to be just absorbing all they see.
  Feb 09 3:05 pm
• Pain. not understanding how people treat each other and why they don't help.
  Feb 07 10:55 am
• The possibility of pranks!
  Feb 05 3:52 pm
• They are seeing Lush fertile country side and they are amazed
  Feb 04 3:04 pm
• I like to consider the clay people's reactions to actual built environments like the brick sidewalk in the video and the gallery here. How differently they might react to these two spaces!
  Feb 01 4:10 pm
• They see the world as it was meant to be.....before we came around to mess it all up.
  Feb 01 2:50 pm
• People, things - they are like children seeing the world all new and beautiful. What an amazing artist!
  Jan 29 3:12 pm
• Experiencing the contrasts of the world; magnificent and frightening...
  Jan 29 2:46 pm
• The forces of good and evil doing battle for the world
  Jan 29 2:23 pm
• They see the things we take for granted, like the sky and the trees, for the first time.
  Jan 16 11:32 am
• They are seeing the bad and the good things that the world has to offer to us people.
  Jan 16 11:08 am
• They appear as if they are looking into your soul, looking for the deeper good and truth in everyone, as if they want fun and good not evil.
  Jan 14 3:33 pm
• They appear as if they are looking into your soul, looking for the deeper good and truth in everyone, as though they want fun and good not evil.
  Jan 14 3:33 pm
• They are seeing light and amazement. I am a child and I know what it's like to be in awe at the world. So does my best friend who is with me now.
  Jan 14 3:30 pm
• What's happening on the planet, what is happening in nature with people, among people. They might not be pleased with what they saw.
  Dec 21 6:15 pm
• They are seeing all the foibles and noble qualities of humans - the good, the amazing, the terrifying.
  Dec 21 6:15 pm
• Sky
  Sunlight
  Birds soaring
  Shadows
  Feeling the wind, hearing the wind
  Other figures, animals
  Things for which they have no names yet
  Apr 29 3:47 pm
• They are like newborns - they don't know what they see, but they are beginning to explore the visual.
  Apr 27 4:08 pm
• Light, sun, and with them, air, warmth, wholeness, completeness, promise and energy, amazement, awe, giddiness, freedom.
  Apr 24 8:38 pm
• I think they are seeing the four elements
  Apr 19 1:25 pm
• Prehistoric creatures, trees ,mountains, rivers, lakes, and oceans.
  Apr 19 12:36 pm
• When they first view the world they see all that is meant to be hidden. Then they see the goodness of the earth.
  Apr 19 11:07 am
• I imagine them as being surprised, or something like that feeling, because they have never seen our world before.
  Apr 17 2:31 pm
• Bright blue sky, red mountains and the vastness of the earth.
  Apr 17 2:25 pm
• I, too, bring those who are deep below, long forgotten... Through me.... through my voice...My song...up, into the middle realm, once again. Old mother, young daughter, boy cheering with his little bird ball...strong hunter, wise elder. Now, all my clan. My drum, my heart...We welcome them. Those of the below...of the above...now we can be together...in the all.
  Apr 15 12:53 pm
• They see a world full of selfish people willing to do anything for money. There is no tradition in the world anymore!!
  Apr 14 12:48 pm
• Cool! Like they are emerging from the underworld and seeing this world for the first time. Reminds me of Seven Seconds by Yousou Ndour and Neneh Cherry about a newborn baby's innocence.
  Apr 07 1:55 pm
• They almost seem as though they are seeing right through the souls of everyone they see.
  Apr 05 11:33 am
• They are seeing a brilliant light and bowing down to whatever is creating it.
  Mar 31 1:24 pm
• Beauty and horror, peace and anxiety, love and hate
  Mar 31 1:24 pm
• They see light and space and in their mother's eyes they see love and hope.
  Mar 28 11:52 am
• Strange faces looking at them and trying to figure them out. Friendly faces smiling and happy to see them.
  Mar 17 3:31 pm
• Lizards, the moon, the stars, and the sky. The planets.
  Mar 15 2:16 pm
• Playful prisms of light encouraging conservation of tradition.
  Mar 14 1:38 pm
• The beauty of the natural world...color, sounds, shapes, infinite variety.
  Mar 13 2:29 pm
• I imagine that they are seeing all the people, faces, places, and light of the world above because they have been stuck in the Underworld for so long.
  Mar 11 1:26 pm
• They probably see bad things as beautiful and wondrous. Smoke from a coal burning power plant might seem pretty if you do not understand what it is.
  Mar 07 1:33 pm
• They are seeing life of the 21st centur,y which is much different than a long time ago.
  Mar 06 1:06 pm
• Wonder and puzzlement -- something I long to find in my relationship with the world.
  Mar 04 12:45 pm
• The hustle and bustle of the city -- and it disturbs them!
  Mar 02 4:05 pm
• So moving. We all know what is being "said," on some level. Thank you for the connection across cultures.
  Feb 29 1:04 pm
• A newly found innocence and endless reasons to remain curious beings.
  Feb 26 3:34 pm
• I think they're seeing nature and people for the first time, and they're happy.
  Feb 25 3:31 pm
• The sun, green grass, people staring at them, animals in motion, wind.
  Feb 24 12:00 pm
• They are seeing a bright sun on a foggy morning and a tree have first life
  Feb 24 11:51 am
• They are seeing the world at its best with no pollution.
  Feb 23 3:41 pm
• Fire burning into the sky and grass seeing Real things
  Feb 23 3:40 pm
• Hard to imagine what seeing everything we now take for granted for the first time if all you had seen prior was darkness.and I have to wonder how creational beings could be portrayed as clowns.
  Feb 23 3:17 pm
• I imagine that they are seeing the world for the first time and it is surprising them...it looks like they can't see because the light is so bright. It's like the light is blinding them.
  Feb 22 12:51 pm
• I imagine that they are seeing light of the world for the first time, and how amazing it is.
  Feb 22 12:49 pm
• I imagine that they are seeing the reason to live when they are out in the world for the first time.
  Feb 22 12:45 pm
• The sun burst over the horizon and the vast world ahead of them.
  Feb 21 2:56 pm
• They might see no difference at all.
  Feb 21 1:46 pm
• A sense of beauty, a sense of love, tolerance.
  Feb 21 12:05 pm
• I think they see beauty in America and the whole world.They see new things they might of never seen.
  Feb 20 2:50 pm
• A place of beauty and nature and wild. A world without man
  Feb 20 2:04 pm
• I think they are seeing life and sunlight and beauty for the 1st time and are very curious.
  Feb 20 1:32 pm
• Trees, water, animals, love
  Feb 19 3:09 pm
• I think they are looking at the art and me:)
  Feb 19 2:25 pm
• I think they see trees and people and the bright sun. I know the Underworld is dark and gloomy,the sun is new to them.
  Feb 19 2:09 pm
• The sky. Birds. Flowing water. The wind. And maybe something scary.
  Feb 19 2:02 pm
• light and dark
  dawn and dusk
  noon to midnight
  midnight to noon
  Good and Evil in Mankind
  Feb 19 1:16 pm
• I think they see how much the world changes every single day.
  Feb 19 12:40 pm
• Light, love, and kindness.
  Feb 18 1:28 pm
• Life, Love, Perspective
  Feb 18 1:26 pm
• The atavistic nature of life.
  Feb 17 4:03 pm
• I see you, I am you, we are, I am.
  Feb 17 3:44 pm
• Observing the world being formed
  Feb 12 1:58 pm
• Wonderment, fear, awe
  Feb 10 11:56 am
• Bright open spaces, fullness of colors and possibilities, eternity.
  Feb 07 3:55 pm
• They seem to already know so much about how the world is and how it could be. They are both hopeful and resigned.
  Feb 05 3:45 pm
• These figures are seeing a first glimpse of the horror and crime of today and therefore they try to make others happy by being silly clowns
  Feb 05 11:47 am
• Sunlight, clouds, trees, plants, animals, people, and dirt lots and lots of dirt.
  Feb 04 1:35 pm
• It looks as if they are taking their first breaths of fresh air
  Feb 03 3:19 pm
• I imagine them more wispy, faded but getting clearer by the second. I love how exploring they seem. I am reminded of the way little children are discovering something not necessarily interesting to adults but very much to them.
  Feb 03 1:04 pm
• They don't know what they are seeing but it interests them, at first.
  Feb 01 4:03 pm
• This world is unlike the underworld from where we came.
  Jan 29 2:27 pm
• They are seeing everything, the beauty, the horror of the world
  Jan 29 12:47 pm