John Feodorov was born
in 1960 in Los Angeles of mixed Native-American and Euro-American
descent. Brought up both in the suburbs of Los Angeles and on a
Navajo reservation in New Mexico, Feodorov early experienced the
cultural differences between his dual heritages. He also observed
the
stereotypes
present in American culture at large, where Native Americans were
idealized as the living embodiment of spirituality by New Age consumerists.
His work addresses this clichéd modern archetype through
a humorous interjection of “sacred” items into recognizable
consumer products. His kitschy Totem Teddy series, for instance,
added masks and totemic markings to stuffed toy bears accompanied
by booklets declaring the bears to “meet the spiritual needs
of consumers of all ages!” He has said: “A major theme
in my work is the way Native Americans are still being portrayed,
stereotyped, and studied in contemporary America. I’ve read
that the Navajo Nation is the most-studied group of people on Earth.
I don’t know whether to be proud or disgusted.” Feodorov
mixes this analytical critique with
installations
and sculptural objects that are often whimsical, fantastic, and
mythical,
creating a new and sometimes genuine sense of the sacred—a
sacredness for modern, fractured times. Feodorov holds a BFA in
drawing and painting from California State University at Long Beach.
He is also a musician, and headlines the band “Skinwalkers.”
He lives in Seattle.
For additional biographic & bibliographic information:
John Feodorov's Web Site
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