Image or Instigation

As the heat of a blistering sun reflects off the glassy southwestern sand, a lone woman stands in silhouette, accompanied only by her donkey. Behind her humble home stands the majestic purple backdrop of the southwestern plateau. The regionalistic style of this painting by Don Louis Perceval highlights and glorifies the simple, natural lifestyle of the American Southwest. With such a statement, Perceval challenges the modernist tendency to glorify the man-made wonders of urban life, while giving honor to the Native American union with nature.

Perceval's life experiences led him to a great appreciation of the beauties of Native American life in the Southwest, while also engendering a dislike of modern urban society. He was born in Woodfor, Essex, England in 1908, but was raised in Los Angeles, California (donperceval.com). In between art studies at Chouinard Art Institute in California and at the Royal Academy in London, Perceval served in the Royal Navy, using his art skills to create manuals for training cadets in gunnery. During the Second World War, he also served on a patrol boat in the Thames Estuary, and spent time visiting European cultural centers in England, France, and Spain (donperceval.com).

Soon after the end of the war, Perceval returned to California, where he taught art and traveled among the native peoples of the Southwest. Perceval was enchanted by the lifestyle of the Hopi and Navajo peoples. He spent much of the 1950's living among them, painting and learning from them (donperceval.com). He clearly preferred their lifestyle to the fast paced, metal-plated world of urban society. This comes out in “Navajo Hogan” through the sheer scarcity of the landscape, and the simplicity of the woman's hogan.

While the rugged landscape and beautiful grandeur of the background illuminate his regionalistic style, they also tend to make men seem small and insignificant, almost helpless against the power of nature, which brings forth a sense of naturalism and realism akin to Homer. The image has a hazy feel to it, which is in line with the haze generated by the desert sun. It also has very little detail, which gives the feeling that this is not meant to portray one individual's circumstances, but that this is a common Navajo home site. This makes Perceval's style slightly modernist in its own right, because it forces the viewer to dig beneath the surface of the painting and find greater meaning in the subject matter. By making the figures in the painting unspecific, the artist allows them to become symbols for the entire culture, open for interpretation and dialogue.

The intended implications of this painting are not exactly forthright, but knowing a little about Perceval's background, as stated above, gives us a small insight into his intentions. His high regard of the Hopi and Navajo peoples tells us that his painting is meant to honor their lifestyle and highlight the benefits of living in direct connection with nature. Firstly the small, humble hogan stands as a symbol of Navajo life, free from the complexities and social pressures of contemporary society. It is covered in shadows, without which it would probably blend in almost indistinguishably with the sand around it. It is not a powerful demonstration of engineering or industrialization, consisting instead of mud and sticks, a manifestation of interdependence with nature. There are no indications of material possessions or social standing, but it is practical and serves its purpose.

The sharp contrast of the shadows against the sand almost brings a lonely feeling to the piece, highlighting the difficulty of life for this woman. The harsh scarcity of life in the wilderness, though, can be seen as a positive thing, because it forces the people to cultivate diligence, patience, thrift, and character. The Navajo people value their communion with nature and the spiritual aspects of life that come from living in harmony with the land and with each other. This scene stands in harsh contrast to the industrial factories and class separations that are prominent in contemporary society.

This aspect of the painting was especially compelling for me as a viewer. At first, I was attracted by the aesthetic composition of the painting. Having some personal experience in the southwestern region, this painting brought forth feelings of nostalgia for the beauty of the desert landscape. The contrast of the dark shadows against the bright sand was also aesthetically pleasing for me as well, as it highlighted the lonesome, nostalgic feeling of the scene. I was impressed further, however, by the deeper sense of connection between the woman in the painting and the beautiful desert landscape. I have an adopted uncle who is full-blooded Navajo. He speaks sometimes of the importance of being in tune with the spirit of nature, and of the negative aspects of urban, industrialized life. As I began looking at the picture in the context of his words, as well as the discussions we have had of the social implications of art, the aesthetic qualities that I admired took a backseat to the cultural elements that I saw in the painting. It did not change my appreciation for the painting, but it deepened my respect for the artist and his representation of Navajo life.

Another aspect of the painting that stands out is the towering plateau in the background. It stands almost like a regal guardian, watching over the woman and her hogan. It implies once again that the people are subject to their surroundings, and dependent on nature for their survival. Their dependence causes them to cultivate an understanding of and respect for nature and all its elements. They are intimately connected with nature and with their community, which helps to eliminate some of the social problems that arise in more urban centers. The woman in the painting is poor by the standards of the modern world, but she has what she needs to live comfortably in her home. This is a commentary on the benefits of living simply, without striving for wealth, power, or class standing. The urban plagues of poverty, discrimination, materialism, violence, drugs, etc., are due in part to the materialistic nature of the American Dream, and this painting is rejecting the benefits of that dream.

For some, on the other hand, “Navajo Hogan” might not be seen as a social statement at all. Certain people might think that this painting is a purely aesthetic work, in the same line as the art photography produced by Steiglitz and Steichen. It could be argued that Perceval was enthralled by the rudimentary, aboriginal quality of Native American life, and recorded his observations from afar. The image by Steiglitz entitled “The Rag Picker” comes to mind as an example of social art produced for its aesthetic value instead of its potential for social reform. In such a case, the portrayal of a Navajo woman could be seen as an aesthetic observation that gives no regard to the woman as an individual, or the difficult circumstances in which she lives. Rather it is simply a pitiable circumstance that in general makes the scene interesting, but does not provoke any kind of action or response from the viewer. Those who belong to the school of thought that values “art for art’s sake” might look only at the color, lighting, and composition and find value in the quaint representation of Southwestern life. They would look no further into the meaning of the painting, and would find it unnecessary to do so.

While this viewpoint could be justified by Perceval’s classical training and position as an appreciator and teacher of art, his strong respect for the Native peoples of the American Southwest and their way of life gives support towards the argument that his painting is not art for art’s sake. In contrast, his painting is a social commentary that highlights the grandeur of Native American life, and the benefits of living simply and harmoniously with the land. Perceval is a talented artist who captures the awesome feeling of the desert landscape and gives honor to the people who dwell thereon.