-
The painting depicts a young man holding a beer bottle, a fading chicken dancer, and the fading figure of his childhood. Martin addressed the phrase “drunken Indian,” explaining how the effects of cultural assimilation led to the stereotype.
-
Stacey Ash, art education and outreach coordinator at the Mulvane, and Bobby Von Martin, a Choctaw painter from California, stand beside a painting of a young girl with “English Only” across her mouth. The piece recalled the boarding school era, when indigenous children were punished for speaking their language.
-
Martin holds up one of his portrait prints during his presentation at the Mulvane Art Museum. He shared his experience as an Indigenous artist, raising awareness and confronting generational trauma through art.
-
A video projection shows Martin at work on one of his paintings. His talk focused on how art and “sweat ceremony” helped him heal from childhood trauma and reconnect with his culture.
-
A portrait of a young Indigenous girl in traditional dress hangs among Martin’s featured works. The image honors children lost to the boarding school system and those who survived it.
-
One of Martin’s split-tone paintings contrasts black-and-white with bold color, depicting the divide between historic stereotypes and modern Native life. The piece stands against historic stereotypes of Native people.
-
A brightly colored portrait of an Indigenous elder in a feathered headdress is displayed in the DoPiKa: Reinstate exhibition. The artwork uses strong color contrast and traditional symbolism common in Martin’s work.
On Thursday, Nov. 6, the Mulvane Art Museum hosted a gallery talk featuring Bobby Von Martin, a Choctaw painter from California, as part of its ongoing exhibition “DoPiKa: Reinstate.” The event brought together students, faculty and Topeka residents for an evening centered on Indigenous art.
The program began with Martin’s talk about Native American history, generational trauma and healing through community. It was followed by a discussion of several of his artworks and a Q&A session. The evening concluded with art sales and conversations with the artist.
The gallery presented five of Martin’s works, each telling a story of cultural identity and heritage through vivid color. One of the paintings depicted five Indigenous women with handprints painted across their mouths, raising awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW).
“The reason I use so much color is to get people to stop,” Martin said. “Once they stop, I can tell them what the artwork is about. The red handprint represents the silence; we need to talk about what happens to women in our communities.”
Martin said he uses his art as a form of medicine to raise awareness about Indigenous struggles and to connect with others in his community.
“When I paint, I’m not painting hurt,” Martin said. “I’m painting proof that we heal. Every color I use is hope made visible.”
Desirree Salazar, a tribal social worker who attended the event with Martin, said his message continues to inspire communities.
“He’s not too different from some of the people I work with,” Salazar said. “I use his story to help the children I work with understand that healing is possible.”
Stacey Ash, art education and outreach coordinator at the Mulvane, organized the program with Yale Taylor, Title VI coordinator for Topeka Public Schools. Cheyenne Thackery, student at Jardine Middle School, attended the event as part of the Title VI program.
“We get to do Native-inspired crafts and even go on field trips,” Thackery said.
The event coincided with Native American Heritage Month and the DoPiKa exhibition on display at Washburn University.
“I wanted to emphasize the importance of bringing people together in the gallery where DoPiKa is displayed to hear a truly Indigenous story and see Indigenous art within that setting,” Ash said.
The Mulvane Art Museum continues to serve as a space where art and community intersect. Its next exhibits, opening Dec. 5, will highlight local collaborations and include a publication launch celebrating artists from Washburn University and the Topeka area.
Edited by Anson Appelhanz and Bidhya Sapkota
