The Real Savages presented a critical perspective on how propaganda and American stereotypes have influenced and impacted Native American cultures and identities. By juxtaposing stereotypical visual imagery with historical facts, the exhibition explored the experiences of cultural assimilation, identity, and knowledge.
The Real Savages began as an independent study project by Fort Lewis College graphic design major Babe Lansing, a member of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. The project was inspired by Lansing’s participation in a summer semester in Germany focused on the study of propaganda in art. The resulting body of research and creative work culminated in a student exhibition that was first displayed in the Fort Lewis College Art Department and was later presented in the Center’s main gallery.
"My ideas and motives have come from a variety of sources and influences within my own life and culture. I am pleased to see that the overall final product has exceeded by far what I expected when I first started this project," says Lansing.