Sallie Wagner

In the 1960's when I first visited "The Rez", I was immediately taken by his distinctive style -- skim a trading post offerings and you're immediately drawn to his work. It was only many decades later that I picked up this volume, with some of his works included, and learned about Yazz, the artist.
We meet the artist Beatien Yazz first through the eyes of Sallie Wagner, a white woman and proprietor of the trading post near his birthplace. She saw his first drawings when he was a young child. We follow his triumphs and problems, his experiences in various schools, WWII, and the development of his character. The second portion of the book is given over to J.J. Brody's careful analysis of the work, comparing his work in different periods, and influences of various schools and other artists. He is not a "fan", but an art critic, and some of his interpretations seem harsh, but understandable. The final bit is in the artist's own words. As a taciturn man, the narrative is brief, and restrained, in Navajo style, but he gives credence to the stories told in the first sections.… (plus d'informations)