On July 14, 2014, artist Kevin Red Star and author Daniel Gibson presented a lecture on the life work of Kevin Red Star and his formative experiences growing up on the Crow Agency in Montana. After the presentation, Red Star graciously provided us with an interview centered on his painting, Crow Indian Parade Rider, 1982, which is in the permanent collection of the Whitney Western Art Museum.
Red Star spoke with us on his conceptual process, which includes his first-hand experience as a Crow Indian living, participating, and witnessing cultural events. He uses photographs of people and Native objects he finds interesting as visual aids when sketching out the composition for his painting. Then he builds his color in layers to create a finished work. Listen to the clip above to hear more about Red Star’s process of creating the perfect shades of color.
This interview with Kevin Red Star is a part of the Whitney’s Art Speaks series that captures in-depth interviews and features short clips on the artists in our permanent collection.
