Milland Lomakema Hopi Painting Untitled Painting of Corn Dancers

This painting by renowned Hopi artist Milland Lomakema (1941-2021) Dawakema - Sun Made is a significant example of his work from 1978. Lomakema was a founding member of the influential Artist Hopid group, which sought to reinterpret traditional Hopi symbols through a modern, graphic lens. The painting features four stylized male figures performing a ceremonial dance within a circular frame, likely representing the sun or the cycle of life.

The piece is rich with Hopi iconography:

The Figures are depicted in the act of a social or "Katsina Maiden" dance. The bent posture of the rightmost figure suggests the rhythm of the dance and the planting/harvesting motions often associated with Hopi ceremonies.

The yellow, star-like elements atop their heads represent corn tassels or spiritual radiance, emphasizing the connection between the people and the sustenance provided by the earth.The circular border topped with a stylized corn plant/leaf signifies the unity of the Hopi world. The red lines extending from the bottom often represent rain or life-giving moisture descending to the earth.

Lomakema used a specific palette of "earth tones" (terracotta, ochre, and sage) contrasted with bold blacks and whites to create a flat, modernist aesthetic that feels both ancient and contemporary.

Lomakema was a self-taught artist and a key figure in the 20th-century Native American art movement. Along with Michael Kabotie and others, he founded the group Artist Hopid in 1973 to "document Hopi history through visual arts" and move beyond the "Bambi-style" flat-painting traditionally expected of Native artists. His work is held in major institutions, including the Heard Museum in Phoenix and the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian.

Condition: original condition

Provenance: this Milland Lomakema Hopi Painting Untitled Painting of Corn Dancers 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