ARTICLE
Blurring Traditions in Native Beadwork
Hollis Chitto’s work focuses on traditional Native bags. Traditionally, fully beaded bags are worn to large, special community events like pow-wows and Stomp Dances, where the goal is to stun and impress people with your fashion and artistry. They're equivalent to the evening bags carried to galas in Western high society.
Chitto applies beads following the outline of a drawing. This method is called contour beading and it creates a halo or ripple effect. Chitto chooses vibrant, saturated colors. He combines traditional Pueblo pottery motifs and Art Nouveau sensibilities in his designs, actively considering which traditional elements to keep and/or alter to create something uniquely his. He has started exploring ideas about social issues in his work. The exploration of his identity, the difficulty of navigating gendered language, and the unique challenges of discussing issues like HIV/AIDS in Native communities brings his work into other art world conversations.
Caption: Hollis Chitto, Chata Anumpa in My Accent (detail), 2020, bag, antique and contemporary glass seed beads, sizes 15 ott–8 ott, wool fabric, silk dupioni lining, brass bells, silk tassels, Swarovski crystal, handmade glass beads, brass beads, brass sequins, 991 x 330 x 76 mm, photo courtesy Hecho en Mano
