Brad Kahlhamer

American Horse

Born to Native American parents and adopted by a German American couple, artist Brad Kahlhamer confronts his multifaceted identity through his work. In American Horse, he portrays Indigenous symbolism and imagery in a Neo-Expressionist style. The central figure is Lakota leader American Horse (Wašíčuŋ Tȟašúŋke, 1840–1908). The expressive, raw, and gritty aesthetic that Kahlhamer adopts derives from early twentieth-century German Expressionism—a nod to the heritage of his adoptive parents. Neo-Expressionism was also very popular in the downtown New York art scene, where Kahlhamer was active in the 1990s, and its punk influences are equally evident. Kahlhamer painted American Horse on a lightweight, portable bed sheet, making it convenient to work on while traveling. His choice of support recalls another instance of portable storytelling: winter counts. These are pictorial calendars created by Plains communities that record each year through the
depiction of a major event. In addition to winter counts, Kahlhamer cites ledger drawings and comic books as influences on his version of graphic storytelling.