Fritz Scholder
Fritz William Scholder V (October 6, 1937 – February 10, 2005) was a Native American artist known for his bold paintings, prints, and sculptures. He was an enrolled member of the La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians. Born in Breckenridge, Minnesota, he studied art across the United States and earned an MFA from the University of Arizona in 1964. Scholder became a teacher at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe in the late 1960s.
Scholder’s art challenged old stereotypes of Native people. In 1967 he created a controversial series about the “real Indian,” showing Indians with flags, beer cans, and cats to critique romantic ideas about Native life. His work blends Abstract Expressionism with postmodern ideas and pop culture imagery.
He worked in many media, including paintings, lithographs, monotypes, photographs, and later sculpture. In 1970 he made a major lithography suite with the Tamarind Institute called Indians Forever, which helped bring him wider recognition. He had important exhibitions around the world and received several honors and honorary degrees.
Scholder continued to experiment and reflect on Native identity throughout his career. He died in Scottsdale, Arizona, in 2005 at the age of 67. His art remains in major museums and travels in exhibitions.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 19:36 (CET).