An Enduring Force: The Photography of Laura Gilpin among the Twentieth-Century Navajo

Authors

Carlyle Schmollinger, Brigham Young University

Keywords

Laura Gilpin, The Enduring Navajo, Photography, Navajo

Abstract

While some artisits travel the world in search of inspiration, Laura

Gilpin found hers in the arid, desert landscape of the southwestern United States. Gilpin had an affinity for the Navajo. In 1968, eleven years before her death, she published the first edition of her seminal work, The Enduring Navajo. A feat in its own right, the collection of photographs and accompanying text was the product of many years spent among the peoples located in the Southwest region of the United States. In the epilogue to her book, Gilpin boldly proclaims her love of the Navajo when talking about the white man's influence: "Some are simply leading a new kind of life, while many still continue their traditional way. Most young Navajo face this great change with sureness and confidence." Gilpin lived among the Navajo at various points throughout her life; each time she documented different, but equally invaluable perspectives of daily life on the reservation.

Recommended Citation

Schmollinger, Carlyle (2013) "An Enduring Force: The Photography of Laura Gilpin among the Twentieth-Century Navajo," The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing: Vol. 42: Iss. 1, Article 9.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/thetean/vol42/iss1/9