David Bradley is a Native American (Minnesota Chippewa) artist who often uses parody, humor, pop culture references, and irony in his work pertaining to American Indian subjects.

Sometimes these subjects can be uncomfortable; they can address the exploitation of Native artists, use of stereotypical Native images, social problems, and more. Bradley explores these subjects in a way that can push the viewer to take a closer look at what the image might be trying to express. In some of his works, like End of the Santa Fe Trail, and Santa Fe Indian Market, viewable here, there can be a lot going on, as Bradley likes to incorporate many details. Bradley frequently includes a self-portrait, friends and family, other artists, or even art collectors in his paintings.

American Indian Gothic, from the portfolio, Indian Self-Rule, is not one of those paintings. Instead, it is a very clear parody of the iconic Grant Wood painting - wait for it - American Gothic, at the Art Institute of Chicago. The portfolio Indian Self-Rule, was a set of prints from five Native American artists, published in 1983. The money raised from the sales of the portfolio (fifty sets were printed) helped to support the Institute of the American West’s project, “Indian Self-Rule: Fifty Years Under the Indian Reorganization Act.” The project’s goal was to produce public radio and television programs, two publications, and a conference to take place that year.

Besides Bradley, the other artists (and writer) were Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, (Untitled); Scott Momaday, (Kiowa Year 1849); Randy Lee White, (Red Hawk’s Portrait)   and Darren Vigil, Portrait of Wovoka). The portfolio helped to produce a documentary, Indian Self-Rule: A Problem of History, based on the 1983 conference, as well as more than 100 fellowships that provided a way for people to attend the conference.  A book published in 1986, Indian Self Rule: First-Hand Accounts of Indian-White Relations from Roosevelt to Reagan, uses Bradley’s American Indian Gothic, on the front cover.

Bradley has also used the American Gothic theme in other works, such as the quirky American Gothic: O'Keeffe and Stieglitz Meet Tonto and the Lone Ranger, American Indian Gothic-Apache, American Indian Gothic, Ghost Dancer, American Gothic [with Tonto and the Lone Ranger], and at least one more American Gothic. Compared to some of his other work, the Gothic from the portfolio is pretty subtle; it’s also one of the earlier versions to use this idea. Bradley’s Gothic series is considered a critique of the “American regionalist” style of painting, and by offering alternative people in that familiar setting, it suggests the broadening of our understanding of what America looks like, and which people are memorialized in iconic works of art. From his artist statement in Indian Country: “My art suggests and comments on situations but does not resolve them.”

Bradley has also re-imagined other famous works of art with an indigenous eye; there’s the Pow Wow Princess, Southwest, based on the Mona Lisa, Hopi Maidens, based on several works by Andy Warhol, O'Keeffe, After Whistler, based on Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1, (better known as Whistler’s Mother), and others. Not all of these are political or social commentary, the O’Keeffe painting is more of an homage to her than anything else.