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Gahan. “Gahan” Lesser God 1985 Acrylic on Canvas 58 x 52 About Apache Ga'an Dancers In February, 2012, Indian Country Today Media Network published an article on the White Mountain Apache Ga'an dancers (also called "crown dancers). The article provided an excellent description of Ga'an dancers: “The creator sent the Ga’an (Spirit People) to guide the people, teaching them how to walk in the Holy Life Way, to be kind to each other, and to live in harmony with each other and the land. Today’s Apaches still honor those spiritual traditions and crown dancers are called upon to evoke blessings and ward off evil at ceremonies. Ga’an dances are performed by men who invoke the mountain spirits. Four dancers representing the four sacred directions paint their bodies black and white and adorn themselves with evocative lightning designs and animal motifs. They are accompanied by a fifth dancer painted gray, an unpredictable clown who acts as a messenger to communicate with the Spirit People. The Ga’an dancers are also instrumental in healing and cleansing ceremonies including preparing the grounds for the coming-of-age ceremony for young Apache girls just coming into womanhood." In 2003, The War in Iraq brought out the Abu Ghraib prison situation scandal. This painting by Rory had been in a private collection and recently put back on the market. Casual viewers became visually upset and quick to judge that Rory had painted this incident and was making a mockery of it. Had they not already closed their minds, they might have been open to learn that this piece, however dark, was created in 1985 and obviously had nothing to do with Abu Ghraib.
Acrylic on Canvas / 58 x 52 / $35,000
