David Bradley (1954– ), a Minnesota Chippewa, is a renowned Native American artist known for his vibrant, satirical, and politically charged works that challenge the exploitation and misrepresentation of Native cultures. Bradley spent much of his childhood living in poverty and was heavily influenced by the social upheavals of the 1960s and 1970s, including the civil rights and Native American rights movements. He attended the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he was exposed to the vibrant art scene and honed his skills in various mediums, including painting and sculpture.

Bradley's work often blends traditional Native imagery with modern pop culture references, using humor and irony to comment on the commercialization of Native art and the broader misrepresentation of Indigenous people in American society. His style is heavily narrative and figurative, frequently incorporating depictions of Anglo historical figures in contrast with Native American icons and themes. His use of bright, bold colors, combined with his playful yet critical approach, has earned him recognition both within and beyond the Native art world. Throughout his career, Bradley has become a prominent voice in the dialogue about identity, authenticity, and cultural survival in the contemporary Native American experience.

Bradley has had many solo exhibitions at prominent institutions, such as the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, the Heard Museum, the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture and the Autry Museum. Bradley’s work is also part of several prestigious permanent collections, including Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the Denver Art Museum and the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian, among others.