"Two Hopi Flying Katsinas in Night Sky" 1999 by Neil David, Sr.

This is a striking and spiritually resonant painting by Neil David, Sr. (1944- ), dated 1991. True to his style as a co-founder of Artist Hopid, this work beautifully bridges traditional Hopi religious iconography with a more modern, surrealist painterly depth, placing sacred figures into a vast, cosmic perspective.

The painting depicts two celestial Hopi spiritual beings (Katsinam) soaring through a deep, star-filled night sky, complete with shooting stars and distant nebulae.

• The Upper Left Figure: (Chasing Star Katsina / Na-ngasohu)

  • This figure wears a tall, conical, multi-colored headdress topped with a stylized star/four-pointed planet symbol. He has a thick ruff of fur or hair around his face, painted white star/cloud symbols on his chest, and holds a bow in one hand and a rattle in the other.

  • Na-ngasohu is associated with the stars, meteor showers, and the celestial order. His presence represents the vastness of the heavens and the connection between the sky and Hopi ceremonial life.

• The Lower Right Figure: (Star Katsina / Sohu)

  • This figure features a white mask with star-like triangular eye and mouth markings, a colorful conical hat, and a vibrant, striped torso. He carries a rattle and a decorated dance sash.

  • Together, these figures represent the spiritual guardians of the night, cosmos, and sky, acting as intermediaries who travel between the earthly realm and the heavens. 

Unlike older, flatstyle Pueblo paintings that typically used solid white or neutral backgrounds, David utilizes a richly textured, airbrushed, or finely splattered dark blue background. This technique creates an immersive sense of infinite space, making the stars appear to flicker. The dramatic foreshortening of both figures makes them appear to be actively flying toward the viewer out of the void, showcasing David's superb mastery of anatomy and perspective. This painting is signed Neil D '91 in the lower right corner.

Condition: very good condition

Provenance: Displayed in the special exhibit Ancestral Symbols, Modern Masterpieces: Documenting the Sacred Narratives and History of the Hopi People at Adobe Gallery for its 50^th Anniversary Landmark Exhibition in Santa Fe, NM, May – October 2026. This painting by Neil David, Sr. "Two Hopi Flying Katsinas in Night Sky" 1999 is  from the collection of a client of Adobe Gallery. 

Recommended Reading: Hopi Painting: the World of the Hopis by Patricia Janis Broder.

TAGS: Neil Randall David, Sr., Native American Paintings, Katsina dolls, Hopi Pueblo, Native Drawing, Native Painting, Carving, Hopi-Tewa , Bronze, Neil David, Jr.