Theatres of War

Much of Jaune Quick-To-See-Smith’s art focuses on her Native American identity and the politics of race in the United States. This work, created during the Iraq war, critiques Winston Churchill’s term “theatres of war,” an association of the arts with the violence of combat that Smith deemed inappropriate. At the bottom left is the Lone Ranger’s sidekick Tonto, a fictional character that Smith often employs in her work to indicate her disapproval of a subject. While the four-part circle at the center of the composition can be interpreted as a Native American symbol for the four seasons or the cardinal directions, it also suggests the crosshairs of a rifle. The red garment is a Native American war shirt, a ceremonial piece of clothing that for the artist represents religious philosophy, democratic ideals, and social wisdom. The surrounding phrases were drawn from Broadway songs, but also evoke the sounds of war.