Nationality
Apsaalooké Nation
Preview
Date of Work
2026
Medium
Acrylic ink and micron pen on antique ledger paper
Signature
Bottom right
Height
17 3/4"
Width
10 3/4"
Collection/Provenance
Contemporary Indigenous Art Collection
Status
Pulled for exhibition
Location
Chester Fritz Library
Artist Bio
Elias Jade Not Afraid is an award-winning Apsáalooke (Crow Nation) artist from Montana. He works in various mediums including beadwork, ledger art, and fashion. A self-taught artist, he is known for blending traditional Crow design with contemporary aesthetics while preserving and revitalizing historic techniques and visual traditions. His work has been exhibited internationally and is held in the permanent collections of major institutions, including the Smithsonian Institution, the Minneapolis Institute of Art, and the Field Museum. Through his practice, Not Afraid explores cultural continuity, identity, and the enduring legacy of Apsáalooke artistic traditions.
Additional Information
A geometric pattern in red, gold, blue and pink on antique ledger paper. This work is part of a series called, "Written Among the Flowers."
From the artist's website:
The floral portraits honor the Apsáalooke women who carried cultural knowledge forward. The geometric compositions honor the design, teachings, and visual languages they preserved. Together they explore labor, memory, beauty, and legacy.
This newest collection of ledger works explores Apsáalooke identity, memory, and inheritance through floral portraiture and geometric design. Painted on antique ledger papers, each piece transforms historic records into stories of cultural continuity, honoring the women, teachings, and visual languages they preserved. Together they explore labor, memory, beauty, and legacy.
https://ejnotafraid.com/
Rights:
Images are provided for educational purposes only and may not be reproduced for commercial use. Images may be protected by artist copyright. A credit line is required to be used for any public non-commercial educational purpose. The credit line must include, “Image courtesy of the University of North Dakota.”
Condition
Excellent