“Bird Motif” 1973 by Neil David, Sr. [SOLD]

This is a striking and highly significant piece of modern Hopi art by Neil David, Sr. (1944- ). This artwork dates precisely to the historic founding year of the influential Artist Hopid collective. The painting is rendered in a style that bridged ancient Hopi tradition with mid-century modern abstraction. Instead of depicting a realistic scene, the artist deconstructs sacred and cultural Hopi imagery, reassembling the elements into a dynamic, flat-planed, geometric puzzle.

The use of muted, organic tones — deep terracotta, sandy ochre, charcoal black, cream, and soft slate grey — mirrors the natural clay slips and mineral pigments historically used on Hopi pottery and in kiva murals. The composition is highly fluid, utilizing sweeping arcs, sharp diagonals, and tight spirals (scrolls) that guide the viewer's eye across the canvas. This painting is not just a beautiful aesthetic object; it is a historic document of a movement that permanently changed the trajectory of Native American contemporary painting.

While highly stylized, several classic Puebloan and Hopi motifs are recognizable within the abstract landscape: 

• Feather Motifs: Stylized feathers (essential in Hopi prayer and ritual) are visible in the lower center and left, characterized by their blocky, stepped tips and striped bands.

• Katsina & Mask Elements: Circular forms with rectangular protrusions (top left) and stylized eyes suggest the features of Katsinam (spirit messengers).

• Rain and Cloud Elements: The stepped patterns, semi-circles, and spiral scrolls heavily reference moisture, water movement, and clouds — central themes in the arid Hopi mesas where rain is a vital blessing.

• Water Serpent (Avanyu) Influence: The sweeping, scaled curves on the left-hand side carry a strong resemblance to stylized depictions of the Tewa horned water serpent, a guardian of water.

About the Artist: Neil David, Sr.  

Neil David, Sr. was born at First Mesa and became a legendary figure in Hopi contemporary art. Along with Michael Kabotie, Terrance Talaswaima, Milland Lomakema, and Delbridge Honanie, then formed an art collective called Artist Hopid in 1973 at Second Mesa. The collective's goal was to move away from the flat, illustrative Studio Style of painting taught to Native artists in early art education. Instead, they sought to reinterpret traditional Hopi symbols, kiva murals, and pottery designs through a modern, abstract lens — allowing them to express complex Hopi philosophy on their own terms. Because this canvas is dated 1975, it represents Neil David's work at the absolute genesis of this artistic revolution. It is a prime example of the collective's early manifesto to use modern aesthetic structures to preserve and celebrate ancient truths. This painting is signed N David '75 in the corner.

Condition: good condition with original frame

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. "Bird Motif" 1975 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.