A Journey of The Spirit with Tony A. Tiger By L. C. Collins
Tony Tiger (Sac and Fox, Seminole, Muscogee Creek), Mvskoke Preacher, etching, serigraph, ink, acrylic paint on paper, 11” x 15”
Tony A. Tiger takes us on a journey of “the spiritual portion of humanity” in his potent exhibition, Memorial: Positive and Negative Space. As an artist and renaissance man, he combines a myriad of painting styles, tools, and visual art mediums to convey a richly cultural and boldly vulnerable depiction of preservation, lineage, and spirituality. A curator of Indigenous art, Tiger formulates his shows as a conduit to amplify the voices and concerns of his multitribal (Seminole, Mvskoke, and Sac and Fox) community and the artists within. Tiger’s work is an open and personal observation of his life and the roots of the Indigenous cultures of his ancestors. Worldwide, few found themselves exempt from the negative aspects of this passing year. Separation, loss, and death have affected us all or someone we know. Grief and 4
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uncertainty are found somewhere within our six degrees of separation as assuredly as joy and triumph. Tiger’s Memorial honors the many Indigenous people who lost their lives in this time of covid while interlocking equal gratitude for life, nature, and Indigenous design. Acrylic on canvas with all the glory of nature’s hues preserved, sealed by a bold tapestry of North Woodland Indigenous floral design. Tiger describes, “Ribbons of intricate patterns juxtapose creating the positive and negative space.” The space in between shifting constantly toying with the eye. Tiger, himself an avid outdoorsman, uses inspiration from his grandfather’s allotment, alongside his personal history and ancestry. Tiger explains as a result of the Indian Removal Act of the 1830s, many men and women from different tribes, thirty-nine tribes in Oklahoma, came together
intertwining cultures resulting in a rich tapestry of heritage with a poignant story, not to be forgotten. The exhibition commemorates the positive and negative aspects of life in a way that Tiger hopes to inspire questions, introspection, and greater understanding. Each work walks us through a voyage of the mind, the body, and the spirit. The kinesthetic energy of Transformation Full Consciousness visibly rises from the canvas as if it moves and breathes. The piece encompasses bold dancing lines, gripping tribal colors, verging vibrant textures, and rich symbolism. This masterpiece is crafted from an amalgam of elements, acrylic paint on panel, Mulberry paper, serigraph, ink, and wood. Three levels like ascending stairs, the first in black and cream and shadow as if visual commentary on life’s duality and grey areas. Upon the
