Upward Mobility

A jesse Littlebird Art Exhibition

Dec 2021 thru Jan 2022

Upward Mobility: A Jesse Littlebird art exhibition hosted at Secret Gallery featuring a collection of large scale paintings, sculpture and framed artwork. Exhibition also featured a select series of artwork enhanced in a Dec 2021 art studio fire. This select series of artwork was made available through auction and raffle with proceeds donated to local non-profit organizations.

Upward Mobility’s exhibition reception included performances from artists: Jesse Littlebird, Elena Maria, Gral Brothers, Train Conductor and Lady X/Y. Plus visual media from projection artist: Quannumthrow.

Upward Mobility: Artist Statement

Time allotted between lunar eclipses to achieve upward mobility. The ladder as an evolving absence of representation as a pathway towards upward mobility.

As a man who is constantly losing his culture while partaking in the current hegemony between lunar eclipses. In regards to identity, it doesn’t interest me because I am not a puppet in a diorama in a history museum. Because of fear of losing one’s culture and one’s identity being held hostage for political gain.. A modern Pueblo Indian man here with you not on the reservation because I am not allowed there. If this was a movie that’s really life-like, as a moment in history like the stories I grew up with. It would be a time of great unrest and where the men were driven away from the community. Where we are fragmented even more. Where are the representations of the strong Pueblo men? We talk about colonization like it was something that happened a long time ago.

One of my favorite living artists, Richie Culver says: “paint like you are poor, and if you are poor paint figuratively.”

Only the wealthy and rich are given permission to pursue abstraction within the art world. Identity within art, brown people are expected to paint from their culture, we are all expected to convey simplified culture, I look at my painting as an act of defiance. I paint like privileged white men because educated white women tell me to paint my culture how they perceive it and want it to sell.

For the past year I’ve lived in a house with a ladder. My people have a meaning and representation in our origin stories about what a ladder means.

Look up: Simulation and doors in video games.

Through the door, into the room where the ladder is presented. That is the sublime idea of upward mobility. How do we ascend, what does it mean when everyone is clamoring to climb the ladder all at once when we have forgotten the natural order of things and how the oppressors have co-opted and perverted this sacred notion and order.

What does it feel like to be stung by a bee in an ocean of frigid waters? Wrapped up in all of your fleeting impulses, composed like a curated symphony of wailing voices of the sirens from Tik Tok celebrities.

Anything that is sacred can be taken advantage of by capital.

Are there slaves in the meta verse?

-Jesse Littlebird