The Story Behind the Work: Three Amigos

Andre von Morisse’s triptych, Three Amigos (Meeting Buffalo Bill, Annie Oakley, Sitting Bull), 2024, is a continuation of his series “The Impossibility of Meeting Someone Famous Objectively”. Here, Von Morisse continues his exploration of iconic figures in history focusing on the American West. With Three Amigos he reveals the real names of each amigo: Annie Oakley’s real name was Phoebe Ann Moses. A formidable young woman, she impressed Sitting Bull who adopted her as his daughter and gave her the Indian name “Watanya Cicilla” (Little Sure Shot); When a young boy, Sitting Bull was named “Hoka Psice” (Jumping Badger), his nickname was “Hunkesi” (Slow) because he used to take his time to think things through before taking action. As a grown man he became “Tatanka Iyotake” (Buffalo Bull Who Sits Down) which was translated as Sitting Bull; William Frederick Cody was friend with both and was nicknamed “Buffalo Bill” after his contract to supply the Kansas Pacific Railroad workers with Buffalo meat.

Andre von Morisse is a conceptual painter, interested in exploring aspects of human psychology and how we interact with the world. His works were featured in many group shows in galleries and museums in the US: Kunstnerenes Hus Oslo, Norway; The Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC; Mobile Museum of Art, Mobile, AL; Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI; Museum of Southwest Texas, Midland, TX ; Art Museum of South Texas, Corpus Christi, TX. In 2005, Von Morisse was the recipient of the Best New Contemporary Artists Award 2005, at the Kunstnerenes Hus Museum, Oslo, Norway. Von Morisse work is held in prominent museum and private collections in the United States.

For more information visit: contemporarywesternarts.com
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