Elvis Antoine | Sunkė Sapa Hdeṡhka

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Elvis Antoine, “Sacred's Arrival,” 2016

acrylic on canvas (Collection of Elton Taylor)

The AGSM is proud to present a retrospective exhibition of work by the late Elvis Antoine.

Elvis Antoine (1957-2023) was a prolific painter in a style that collector and artist Naomi Gerrard refers to as “Plains Art,” which she distinguishes from the Woodland School with a place-based definition. Indeed, while the bold colours and sinuous shapes of Antoine’s work create a visual kinship to the iconic aesthetic of the Professional Native Indian Artists Inc (PNIAI), and Jackson Beardy (who mentored him while spending summers at Sioux Valley Dakota Nation) in particular, his approach to place and space is inextricably informed by the vast territories of the Dakota, often including a distant rocky mountain peak to indicate the immensity of the prairies. His true name is Sunkė Sapa Hdeṡhka, which translates to “Black Spotted Horse,” a figure that is featured in many of his works.

The AGSM is profoundly grateful to Sioux Valley Dakota Nation for its generous support of this exhibition.