The Block Museum of Art has acquired Sharp Tongue: Used to Cut Deep (2024), a 70 x 70-inch acrylic painting by Northern Cheyenne artist Jordan Ann Craig in conjunction with the exhibition it takes a long time to stay here: Paintings by Jordan Ann Craig (January 25-April 13, 2015)
Craig’s practice is deeply rooted in research, drawing from historical Indigenous beadwork and textiles to inform her geometric compositions. Sharp Tongue: Used to Cut Deep exemplifies her meticulous approach, beginning with digital mock-ups before translating the design to canvas using tape and acrylic paint. The painting is part of an ongoing series of Sharp Tongue paintings. This one features boldly contrasting isosceles triangles in subtle shades of dark green and light peach that together create optical effects. The composition is framed by a geometric border in grey-brown hues.
This acquisition reflects The Block’s ongoing commitment to engaging with the work of contemporary Indigenous artists. Abstraction is a rich area of The Block’s collection, and Craig’s work powerfully expands how we understand its possibilities today. Sharp Tongue: Used to Cut Deep is among the most exciting examples of abstraction we have recently acquired—rigorous, resonant, and deeply grounded in cultural knowledge.
— Lisa Corrin, Ellen Philips Katz Director, The Block Museum of Art
Craig has shared that her Sharp Tongue series is inspired by her sister and the complex familial dynamics embodied by the phrase ‘sharp tongue’: “The Sharp Tongue series is an abstracted concept of my sister,” Craig remarked to The Block. “She can be quite mean and fierce and confident with her words.” Through the interplay of triangles and layered color application, Craig expands the dialogue between historical craft traditions and contemporary abstraction.
Watch Craig discuss Sharp Tongue: Used to Cut Deep and her artistic practice in the video below.
Craig’s process is both physically demanding and intellectually rigorous. She describes her practice as an homage to the precision and craftsmanship of Indigenous beadwork, where “exacting application of paint honors the past” (Hales Gallery). Her engagement with archival materials ensures that Indigenous aesthetic traditions remain present and active in contemporary discourse.
Beyond her studio practice, Craig collaborates with commercial brands and independent businesses to reintegrate Indigenous design into everyday life, bridging fine art and consumer culture.
Raised in the Bay Area, Craig earned her BA in Studio Art and Psychology from Dartmouth College. She has participated in numerous prestigious residencies, including the Roswell Artist-in-Residence Program and the School for Advanced Research. Now based in New Mexico, she continues to explore the intersections of Indigenous material culture, contemporary abstraction, and digital design.
Craig’s Sharp Tongue; Used to Cut Deep stands as both a powerful aesthetic statement and a reflection on the complexities of identity, history, and artistic practice in contemporary Indigenous art. The acquisition enhances The Block’s collection as an integral resource for teaching and learning across Northwestern. The work offers rich curricular connections, engaging fields such as design, anthropology, media studies, and Indigenous studies.
Bibliography:
Art Daily, “Jordan Ann Craig’s debut show with the gallery, sharp tongue soft skin at Hales.”
Clarke, Alexander. “Dreaming in Northern Cheyenne: Jordan Ann Craig.” Trebuchet, December 16, 2021.
Craig, Jordan Ann. “Northern Cheyenne Artist Jordan Ann Craig Presents Virtual Talk…” Interview by Rick de Yampert. Stetson Today, February 22, 2012.· Craig, Jordan Ann. “Visiting Artist Lecture with Jordan Ann Craig.” Virtual lecture, March 30, 2023. Posted by Anderson Ranch Arts Center. YouTube, 54:15.
Hales Gallery. “Jordan Ann Craig.”
Hales Gallery. “Jordan Ann Craig Sharp Tongue, Soft Skin.”
Kadist. “Jordan Ann Craig.”
Wilcox, Matthew, “Buffalo jumps and handmade lingerie: the Native American artists ‘reversing colonialism’.” The Guardian, December 4, 2019.
Research by Kirsten Lopez, Curatorial Coordinator
