Milland Lomakema's Painting of Mixed Elements [SOLD]

Artistic Style & The Artist Hopid Influence

Though painted in 1967 — six years before the formal establishment of the groundbreaking Artist Hopid collective in 1973 — this piece perfectly captures the early stylistic shifts that Milland Lomakema (1941-2021) Dawakema (often translated as "Sun Making Tracks" or "Sun House" or 'Sun Made")  and his contemporaries championed.

Moving Beyond the "Santa Fe Indian School Style": During the mid-20th century, traditional Native American painting was heavily dominated by the flat, naturalistic figures on plain white backgrounds favored by the Santa Fe Studio Style.

Modernist Abstraction: Lomakema and the other members of Artist Hopid (including Michael Kabotie, Delbridge Honanie, Terrance Talaswaima, and Neil David Sr.) revolutionized modern Hopi art. They began utilizing the entire canvas, incorporating bright blocks of color, heavy geometric layouts, and modernist abstraction influenced by Cubism and Surrealism, while remaining deeply anchored in their cultural traditions.

Visual & Symbolic Analysis: True to Lomakema's mid-century aesthetic, this painting is packed with vital Hopi spiritual iconography and elements of the natural world:

The Serpent (Water & Lightning): The curved, stylized serpent-like form sweeping across the lower right is a powerful symbol associated with water, rain, and the life-giving flow of moisture.

Footprints & Arrows (The Journey): The central medallion containing white footprints and directional arrows signifies movement, migration, and the continuous spiritual journey of the Hopi people.

Rain & Cloud Imagery: The geometric, stepped formations (representing kiva steps or cloud altars) and vertical and horizontal stripes mimic falling rain, lightning, and the essential elemental forces required to nourish the arid Southwestern landscape.

Ceremonial Elements: The feather patterns, geometric division of space, and star-filled night sky on the right create a visual narrative that bridges the physical world with Hopi ceremonial and spiritual life.

Condition: Very good condition

Provenance: this Milland Lomakema's Painting of Mixed Elements is from a client of Adobe Gallery. Displayed in Special Exhibit: Ancestral Symbols, Modern Masterpieces: Documenting the Sacred Narratives and History of the Hopi People at Adobe Gallery for its 50th Anniversary Celebration Santa Fe, NM, May 2026.

Reference: Broder, Patricia Janis. Hopi Painting: The World of the Hopis, Brandywine Press, New York. 1978

TAGS: Hopi Pueblo, Michael Kabotie, Terrance Talaswaima, Neil David, Sr., Native American Painting, Milland Lomakema