Visionary Art of Lakota Sundance Chief Marvin Swallow

Lakota Sundance Chief and Visionary Artist Marvin Swallow Art

Marvin Swallow, Sundance and ceremonial Chief in the Lakota tradition, roadman of the Native American Church, travels nationwide along with his Japanese wife, Water Woman Hiroko Matsuda-Swallow, to share their traditions and ceremonies. Swallow is a member of the Sicangu band of the Teton Lakota from the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Night Dance of the Ancestors by Marvin Swallow

Marvin Swallow paints “images of time before and after the moment,” whispering sacred stories of the beauty and mystery of creation. What has emerged through his art is a unique and powerful contribution to the growing genre of Sacred Art. The body of his work on this display explores timeless themes of the Lakota ceremonial way of life, offering profound picto-poetic narratives from the deep spiritual heart of the indigenous Native American culture in its modern expression.

Honoring Swallow’s mission as a “Four Directions Chief,” the “Eagle & Condor” exhibition weaves together stories and messages of indigenous cultures from North, Central and South America, including photographs by Herwig Maurer and Midori Takata showcasing the Shift of the Ages and the Yawanawa Project. Shift of the Ages is an award winning documentary about Mayan Elder Don Alejandro “Tata” Wandering Wolf and his message of global unity, and the Yawanawa Project presents an indigenous tribe in the Brazilian Amazon and their efforts to preserve their culture and the rainforest they depend on.