Gregg Deal
Gregg Deal
Topics: Art – Culture – Design – Identity – Music – Politics – Social Justice
Gregg Deal (Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe) is a bold voice within contemporary art; a multi-disciplinary artist, activist, and cultural disruptor who uses his platform to speak out on issues of Native identity, racial injustice, colonialism, and the erasure of Indigenous histories. Rooted in his lived experience as a Native person, Deal’s work unapologetically confronts the uncomfortable truths of American society, politics, and pop culture.
Through a wide range of mediums, including painting, mural work, performance art, filmmaking, and spoken word, Deal challenges deeply embedded stereotypes and forces viewers to question false narratives about Indigenous peoples. His work is not only artistic expression but an act of resistance and reclamation, using visual language to confront historical amnesia and ongoing systems of oppression.
In his widely viewed 2018 TED Talk, Deal described his artistic mission as “honoring Indigenous experiences, challenging stereotypes, and pushing for accurate representations of Indigenous people in art.” That mission echoes through all aspects of his work, where disruption becomes a tool for truth-telling and cultural assertion.
Deal’s work has been exhibited locally, nationally, and internationally at institutions including the Smithsonian Institution, the Denver Art Museum, and RedLine Gallery, among others. He continues to use art as a form of advocacy and activism.
Gregg’s best bits:
Greg Deal at TEDx – Indigenous in plain sight
Gregg Deal at TEDx – Buying corpse tags on eBay: my work as an Indigenous artist
Gregg gives a keynote speech at the AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo