Jimmie Durham, Cherokee-identity exploring artist, dies at 81
Jimmie Durham, an artist celebrated for his fusion of Cherokee themes with modern political insights, has passed away. He initiated his artistic journey in the 1970s alongside the American Indian Movement, later making his way to New York's art community in the 1980s. Among his significant pieces are Bedia’s Muffler (1985) and Self-portrait (1986). His ambitious work, Still life with Spirit and Xitle (2007), prominently featured a crushed Chrysler Spirit. In 1987, Durham relocated to Cuernavaca, Mexico, and moved to Europe in 1994. His 2017 retrospective at the Hammer Museum raised questions regarding his tribal heritage. He was awarded the Golden Lion at the 2019 Venice Biennale and participated in five Venice Biennales, receiving accolades like the Robert Rauschenberg Award (2017).
Key facts
- Jimmie Durham died in 2021 at age 81
- He gained prominence in the 1980s with sculptures mixing Cherokee motifs
- He was a political organizer for the American Indian Movement in the 1970s
- He moved to Cuernavaca, Mexico in 1987 and to Europe in 1994
- His Cherokee identity was questioned in a 2017 Indian Country Today op-ed
- He won the Golden Lion at the 2019 Venice Biennale
- His work has been shown in five Venice Biennales and four Whitney Biennials
- He received the Robert Rauschenberg Award in 2017 and Goslarer Kaiserring in 2016
Entities
Artists
- Jimmie Durham
- ruangrupa
Institutions
- American Indian Movement
- Hammer Museum
- MAXXI
- Serpentine Gallery
- Venice Biennale
- Whitney Biennial
- Documenta
- Indian Country Today
Locations
- New York City
- United States
- Cuernavaca
- Mexico
- Europe
- Los Angeles
- Rome
- Italy
- London
- United Kingdom
- Venice