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Horseshoes

Jamie Okuma Native American
2014
Not on view
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.
For the foundation of this ornately beaded work, Jamie Okuma chose a pair of high-fashion boots. In this way, she refutes the stereotype that Native peoples continue to live in the past and lack sophistication. Instead, many contemporary Indians negotiate the balance between mainstream life and traditional responsibilities. The beaded boots are a reminder that some bridge the gap between these two worlds with creativity and style. The title of the work is a play on the imagery of horses beaded on the shoes.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Horseshoes
  • Artist: Jamie Okuma (Enrolled member of the La Jolla Band of Mission Indians, Shoshone-Bannock, Wailaki, Luiseño, and Okinawan, born California, 1977)
  • Date: 2014
  • Geography: United States, California
  • Culture: Luiseño/Shoshone-Bannock
  • Medium: Commercial shoes, glass and 24K-gold-plated beads, nylon thread
  • Dimensions: 12 x 8 x 3 in. (30.5 x 20.3 x 7.6 cm)
  • Classification: Beads-Sculpture
  • Credit Line: Collection of Ellen and Bill Taubman
  • Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing