Nationality
American, Arikara and Hidatsa
Preview
Date of Work
ca. 2025
Medium
Acrylic on canvas
Signature
On back
Height
16"
Width
20"
Depth
2"
Collection/Provenance
Contemporary Indigenous Art Collections: Student Government Collection
Status
Pulled for exhibition.
Location
UND Art Collections Repository
Artist Bio
Monte Yellow Bird Sr., known in the art world as Black Pinto Horse, is an Arikara/Hidatsa artist from the Three Affiliated Tribes raised in White Shield, North Dakota. As an award-winning and internationally recognized artist, he masterfully intertwines his heritage with contemporary visual art and education, reflecting his cultural traditions and spirituality.
Black Pinto Horse discovered his passion for art at an early age within a large family of limited means on the reservation. This journey led him to the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, NM, at the age of 16, followed by further studies in Studio Art and History Education at North Dakota State University, culminating in a Bachelor’s degree in Studio Art from Minot State University. What began as a way to engage his hands in childhood has evolved into a profoundly fulfilling endeavor, allowing him to share his culture and traditional teachings with a global audience through artistic expression.
Past and present experiences inspire his diverse mediums and visual narratives about his culture. His mother's teachings, his father's dedication and tenacity, and his myriad connections with those around him all significantly influence his artistic vision. Through his work, Black Pinto Horse invites viewers to engage with cultural stories and traditions, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of Native American heritage.
Additional Information
This piece is a part of Pinto Horse's Starboy Warrior series, which is inspired by Arikara tribal stories about the Son of the Morning Star, known as Star Boy. This series highlights the young warrior's courage, his dedication to his people, and his belief in a greater truth.
From the artist: This painting is designed to illustrate a soul’s pilgrimage as it travels amongst all the elements, challenges, and experiences on this earth. We are believed to be a soul inside an organic mass, or “spirit having a human experience”. As life’s journey is created within our thoughts, it begins with a single step in the direction of our choices. We often believe that happiness and inner peace are the destination, but as we progress in life, we discover that they are the fruits of our journey. From the bottom of the traveler, three blue mountain asters are illustrated with five sets of berries within a dark green groundwork. We are all flowers in God’s Garden; a mountain will always maintain its integrity long before and after humans. The berries signify that we will all experience both bitter and sweet with each step in our travels. A color transition from black to red denotes the mystery of our final destination as we walk among our people during our journey. 4 white lodges rest upon a blue foundation to represent Mother Earth's sacredness and honor within these four directions. An image of a muted orange sun becomes the backdrop to the traveling soul, suggesting the presence of enlightenment on this life-long journey. Rolling pink clouds behind the sun separate the ochre-colored sky filled with 7 blue circles/stars and the morning star above. The pink clouds remind us always to love where we are in our lives; if we don’t love where we are, change our direction. An ochre-colored sky symbolizes life, vitality, and eternity among the heavens; the blue stars above serve as the celestial light that radiates from our ancestors. “We will receive the fruits of our journey with every step and path we choose”
Condition
Excellent