Leonard Harmon
Leonard Harmon is an artist who works to capture the traditional materials and ways of the Lenape nation through a historical lens. His interest mainly focuses on precontact and what native american ancestors’ original livelihoods looked like and the material that was used. Leonard understands that some aspects of native culture have diminished through the contact and colonization of native lands but through his artwork he sees himself contributing to the continuum of the Lenape nation traditions.
In a contemporary way, he approaches his art piece to show cultural traditions. Leonard uses traditional materials to incorporate the bring forth of historical traditions, but since some past works are not available to sure as a blueprint he places his own spin on the artwork he creates. In his work, Leonard takes a personal understanding of his bloodline into account making not only art that resonates with typical Lenape design in the past but with his Nanticoke blood too. This forms a branch of tribes, as he takes his artwork to appreciate both tribe's differences and similarities.
I chose to incorporate this artist's work into the exhibit because of the need for variety. I saw this artist as capturing more specifically a single era instead of a wide inclusion of various ones. This is something I believe was needed and would create a more in-depth exhibit. Their artwork has been held at one art viewing where they had the opportunity to show their take on Lenape culture.