Phoenix
Doug Hyde - Flag Song
Heard Museum, 2301 N Central Ave, Phoenix
Nationally known bronze and stone sculptor, Doug Hyde, is a highly represented artist at the Heard Museum, the Phoenix treasure of Native American art. Hyde was born in Oregon and he studied under the preeminent Native American sculptor, Allan Houser, at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, where Hyde currently resides. Houser’s sculpting style of fluid lines and curved forms is very evident in Hyde’s work. Through this training, and Hyde’s own upbringing, he has committed himself to using his art to pass on the traditions of Native American tribes, echoing back to his education from his father and grandfather about his own heritage, which includes the tribes of Nez Perce, Assiniboine and Chippewa.
After being discharged from his military service in Vietnam, where Hyde was injured by a grenade, he began working for a tombstone business. This experience helped him hone his skills of cutting and shaping stone with power tools. Hyde was able to transfer this expertise into his stone sculptures.
Flag Song is specifically focused on remembering veterans, of which Hyde is one. Relying on symbolism used by many Northern Plains cultures in ceremonies to honor warriors, Flag Song cuts across cultural lines, as this is an experience that impacts every nation. Notice that both men and women participate in this ceremony. The man holds his hat in his hand, as a sign of respect, and the woman is holding an eagle feather fan, a symbol of both strength and beauty. Flag Song is so powerfully moving that during the Clinton presidency the sculpture was chosen to be displayed in the White House Rose Garden with a small group of other pieces from the Heard Museum.
This Tennessee pink marble sculpture is located in the courtyard of the Heard Museum, just to the west of the museum’s main entrance. The courtyard is accessible for free when the Museum is open, but the courtyard gates are locked at other times. If possible, also visit the Heard Museum, one of the most popular attractions in the Valley.
Below is an image of one of Doug Hyde’s bronze pieces. This is Evening Chat, which has been displayed at Western Spirit in Scottsdale.
Last verified 08/2020.
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