The scale and color density of artist Spencer Keeton Cunningham‘s work makes it almost impossible to ignore—but it’s the poignant, painful subject matter that makes his work difficult to forget. By pushing around the overly romanticized notion of North American Indian culture as a series of icons, sketches or paintings on canvas, Cunningham is able to speak to the viewer through short, graphic strokes that hit hard. He’s interested in presenting his own take on the demonization of the North American Indian in American culture.

Cunningham’s work is at times frightening. It is like the art version of a Sherman Alexie poem, scathing and upsetting, but somehow with hope and a sense of humor. It’s impossible to capture the power of Cunningham’s stuff with one picture.