T.C. Cannon

T.C. Cannon, a Kiowa artist from southeastern Oklahoma, described his creative pursuit as “a declaration of love and guts.” A key figure in the rise of Native American art in the mid-20th century, Cannon reinterpreted modernist aesthetics, blending Indigenous and Western art traditions with his personal experiences, including his time in the Vietnam War. His early influences included the Kiowa Six, a group of artists from his tribe, who developed a distinctive style of depicting Native culture.
Cannon studied at the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA), where he was mentored by artists like Fritz Scholder. His work combined abstraction, appropriation, and text, reflecting his critical stance between Native and mainstream art worlds. Cannon’s later works challenged traditional portrayals of Native people, using vibrant colors and expressive narratives to resist objectification. His art was deeply influenced by the Red Power Movement and Native self-determination.