James Luna Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

James Luna - Essay ExampleThe product of a Mexican father and Luiseno Indian mother, Luna was born(p) in 1950 on the La Jolla Indian reservation in Southern California. Raised in orangeness County, he received a degree in fine art from the University of California Irvine in 1976. At that time, the art department at Cal-Irvine was a significant influence throughout southern California in footing of encouraging mental process and conceptual art. Upon graduation, Luna returned to the La Jolla Reservation and enrolled at San Diego State University where he received a Masters degree in counseling. Currently, he is employed by Palomar College in San Marcos as a counselor. ab initio trained as a painter, Luna now travels the globe demonstrating his version of conceptualistic art disciplineing mainly with presentation video and visual art. His performance combines contemporary artistic offerings with Indian rituals, parodies, humor and autobiographical culture within the context of p revailing, conventional attitudes toward native culture. Although the artistic methods he employs would be readily recognizable to an audition that prefers contemporary performance or gallery art, he injects this form with the teachings of his native cultural heritage and presents up-to-date conditions of native peoples. Despite this, Luna maintains that his form of art is not intended to politically motivate his audience. In doing work about social issues I use myself to explore conditions here on the reservation. It is not my place to give notice (of) people how to act (Durland, 2003).Through his works, Luna constantly endeavors to challenge the stereotypical, idealized notion of the dignified, yet savage Indian. His performances atomic number 18 theatrical in nature and are aesthetically intricate while making both subtle and overt political observations all of which produce a multi-faceted perception regarding the native culture to the audience. Lunas performance is hardly what