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'Jennie Ross Cobb (1881-1959)'

 * Part 1:

I was inspired in my research after seeing the Pecha Kucha shown in class on Native artists and the exhibit idea in the Hub. Browsing Wikipedia I found the article “Native American women in the arts”, a short article that briefly touches on 7 different artists. I was irritated at some of the sexism and the focus on nationality in the article. Edmonia Lewis was quoted as being so inspired by an (American male) artist she sculpted a bust of him. Another artist, Angel De Cora was praised for her ability as a Native artist to incorporate and merge her style with that of popular European art. This would only be considered a praise under the assumption that mainstream European art is better.

Another instance of sexism is where Jennie Ross Cobb is introduced as the great grand daughter of John Ross who, of course has his own Wikipedia page. The article contributes her start in art due to her father giving her a camera. I think that a paragraph written about a female artist should not only be put in relation to the men she descended from or the men that ‘let’ her get her start, which assumes without them she would have been helpless to pursue her dreams on her own. There is a discrepancy in that the man in her article (that had nothing to do with her art) has his own Wikipedia page, and she does not. This is why I choose to write about Jennie Ross Cobb. I will focus on her as an artist and outline the start of her own Wikipedia page to counter the glaring discrepancies in the “Native American women in the arts” article. (An article that has no twin ‘Native American men in the arts’)

Part 2:

Life

Cobb’s received her first camera when she was about six years old and took photographs of family and friends. She never had formal classes but learned from books and driven by her affinity to photography. She would “develop Kodak dry plates in a living room closet…until she could produce clear prints”.

Photography

As the earliest known Native photographer her photographs are rare yet powerful. Cobb’s photographs speak to feminist art movements as they became popular in the 1970’s. Cobb’s photographs showed Native women as “poised, self assured, fashionable, confident…and proud”. Cobb’s diversity and history of having two cultures allowed her to speak to different communities and bring debate to traditional views on indigenous people and gender relationships. Her relationship with her subjects was vital in her ability to take beautiful photographs, she often photographed women in “relaxed poses, smiling to a friend”. She deviates from traditional poses capturing ones that look as if the subject is in motion these are unique because no other photographer of the time was taking photographs like hers. They are described as “lively, dynamic, and engaging…[using] receding lines and off center framing…the technique is precise and accomplished”.

Circulation

Our People, Our Land, Our Images, a book and exhibition that shows two works from 26 different artists around the world with a focus on Indigenous photographers. Cobb’s photographs are the oldest pieces in the exhibit and serve to show her unique perspective as a Native photographing Natives, which was not common in her time. The exhibit traveled all over America and was also on display at The Burke Museum at the University of Washington for 6 months in 2007.

George M. Murrell Home Historic Site

The Oklahoma Historical Society purchased the Murrell Home in 1948 to preserve and open the home as a museum. Cobb lived in the home in the 1890’s and later curated the museum, gathering and displaying much of the original furniture of the house that had been passed down. She exhibited many of her photographs that were taken of the house in the 1890’s. Researchers also used her original photographs in the restoration and preservation of the home.

 
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