Milland Lomakema Hopi Painting “Summer Sunset”

This striking original painting, titled "Summer Sunset" and dated 1977, is the work of the renowned Hopi artist Milland Lomakema, who signed his work with his Hopi name, Dawakema (meaning "Sun Made").

Lomakema (1941-2021) Dawakema - Sun Made was a pivotal figure in modern Native American art, particularly as a member of the Artist Hopid, a visionary collective formed in 1973 to document Hopi history and culture through a modernist lens.

This piece is a masterful example of the "Artist Hopid" style, which blended traditional Hopi iconography with mid-century geometric abstraction.

The central focus is the Tawa or Sun Face. In Hopi culture, the sun is the "Sacred Father," the source of all life, warmth, and energy. The split-face design often signifies the transition of time — such as the sun rising and setting or the changing of seasons.

The background utilizes a series of interlocking red, orange, and yellow rectangles. This "shattered" or "mosaic" sky is a signature of Lomakema's work from the late 1970s, representing the vibrant, layered light of a high-desert sunset.

The Sun Face is enveloped by a stylized crescent (possibly a moon or a ceremonial sash) adorned with 21 eagle feathers. Feathers are sacred messengers in Hopi belief, carrying prayers to the Creator. Below the sun, a stylized black-and-white stepped line likely represents the mesas or a serpent (symbolizing water/life). This grounds the celestial imagery in the physical Hopi landscape.

Milland Lomakema was born in the village of Shungopovi (Second Mesa) at Hopi Pueblo in Arizona, Lomakema was a self-taught artist. Before committing fully to art, he served as a detective in Phoenix and a Hopi tribal police officer.

Alongside artists like Michael Kabotie and Neil David Sr., he sought to move away from "Bambi-style" traditional painting toward a more complex, symbolic, and contemporary aesthetic that could educate the world about Hopi values. His works are held in major institutions, including the Heard Museum in Phoenix and the Museum of Northern Arizona. His 1970s paintings are particularly sought by collectors for their precision and vibrant color palettes. Since this is an original 1977 acrylic on board, it comes from Lomakema's most prolific and influential period.

Condition: original condition

Provenance: this Milland Lomakema Hopi Painting "Summer Sunset" is from a client of Adobe Gallery.

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

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