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Lament

Allan Houser, 1990 (Santa Fe, New Mexico)

Bronze, Edition of 8, 68 x 19 x 15 in.

“All of these stories of my dad’s have lived with me through the years. They are the basis of most of this sculpture.“
–Allan Houser

This piece by Allan Houser shows an Apache leader holding the skull of a buffalo, wearing traditional clothing. Among the Apache, some of the most revered leaders were known for their spiritual powers. The buffalo was also one of their most important traditional food sources. According to Houser’s son, Stephen, in this sculpture his father was representing the spiritual power of a prayer for a successful buffalo hunt.

About the Artist

Allan Houser (Haozous) was the first Indigenous American awarded the National Medal of Arts. His father was a relative of Geronimo, and his family was imprisoned along with other Apache resistance fighters in St. Augustine, Florida for twenty years. Alan was the first child in his family to be born outside captivity.

Learn more about Allan Houser’s remarkable story through this downloadable PDF: Allan Houser – Born in Captivity

This piece is part of the collection at Alnoba. See the full collection or check our upcoming tour schedule.