John Feodorov

John Feodorov is an artist of mixed Native-American and Euro-American descent, which plays an important role in his work.  Early in his childhood, Feodorov experienced the cultural differences between his dual heritages.  He observed the stereotypes present in American culture and where Native Americans were idealized as the living embodiment of spirituality by New Age consumerists.  

John Feodorov’s work addresses this clichéd modern idea through humorous interjection of ‘sacred’ items that are recognizable by most people.  In his work, Totem Teddy (see below), he takes teddy bears, but dresses them in masks and totemic markings.  He accompanies these bears with booklets declaring the bears to ‘meet the spiritual needs of consumers of all ages!’  He said “A major theme in my work is the way Native Americans are still being portrayed, stereotyped, and studied in contemporary America.  I’ve read that the Navajo Nation is the most-studied group of people on Earth. I don’t know whether to be proud or disgusted.”  Feodorov mixes this idea with sculptures and paintings to create a link between the two cultures he has grown up with.

We can see a lot of this tension between the two worlds in John Feodorov’s work.  We can see that the consumer products, such as children’s toys, are being used to help convey this message.  His messages can be as much as the cultures mixing, to the effect of the white man’s society on the Native American culture.  John Feodorov’s work helps us draw a line between the Euro-American culture and the Native American culture.      

Animal Spirit Channeling Device for the Contemporary Shaman

Forests at Night

Office Myth

Totem Teddies