Painting Native America: Indigenous Artists in the Twentieth Century, with Nicolas Rosenthal

Nicolas G. Rosenthal will be discussing a portion of his latest book, Painting Native America: Indigenous Artists in the Twentieth Century (2026). It follows generations of Indigenous artists who sought to make a place for Native art in both North American culture and society and the broader art world, as they negotiated such questions as how to use art for social and political goals, what constitutes “Indian art,” and how to make a living as artists. By “Painting Native America” in museums, galleries, and public spaces, Indigenous artists rewrote dominant narratives of North American history, foregrounding Native perspectives while indigenizing the art world.

Nicolas G. Rosenthal is Professor of History at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. He specializes in Indigenous, American West, and 20th Century United States History. His is also the author of Reimagining Indian Country: Native American Migration & Identity in Twentieth-Century Los Angeles (2012). He is President and a Charter Member of LMU's chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.

The UCSB Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, Department of History of Art & Architecture, and Walter H. Capps Center are co-sponsors for this event.