BILL SOZA “WAR SOLDIER”
— SOLD —
Untitled (Self Portrait w/ Mushroom Cloud and Rain Clouds)
Indian On A Merry-Go-Round
Untitled (Stars and Stripes, Eagle, Wolves, Counting Coup)
Untitled (Self Portrait with Horse)
– BILL SOZA “WAR SOLDIER” –
Cahuilla/Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians/Apache, 1949-2014
Billy Soza War Soldier, as he was referred to, began as an artist and activist in an era of civil social unrest during the seminal beginnings of the American Indian Movement (AIM) in the 60’s and 70’s. Soza was one of the early formative figures at the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) working concurrently with TC Cannon, Fritz Scholder, Linda Lomahaftewa, Kevin Red Star, Earl Biss, etc. As much as Soza was respected as an artist, he was equally acknowledged as a modern day “warrior” battling a system of oppressive government policy and racism prevalent in many Indian territories. Sharing the podium with like minded Indian activists such as John Trudell and Dennis Banks, Soza was involved in actions at the Wounded Knee Occupation in 1973, Plymouth Rock, Alcatraz Island, the BIA Takeover in Washington DC and others. In his obituary, Alex Jacobs wrote Soza him as “artist and AIM outlaw”.