R.C. Gorman

Untitled (Gorman)

In Untitled by R.C. Gorman (Diné), swaths of color whisp and bleed into one another. The design motif on the canvas recalls Navajo textiles; the patterning and color scheme even resemble blankets and shawls worn by women in the artist's later works. Gorman is best known for his prolific career producing lithographic prints, which usually feature Native women weaving, gathering food, holding clay pots, or stoically posing in the southwest landscape. While Untitled departs from Gorman’s more familiar imagery, it maintains a thematic focus on women’s work through its reference to weaving. Gorman often credited his mother and grandmother for their influence on his artistic sensibility. The artist’s constant attention to women’s labor and artistry reflects both his family dynamics and the matrilineal structure of Navajo society.