Killer Whale Headdress Item Number: Nb22.79 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Horizontal whale headdress that has a carved skeletal body, dorsal fin attached to black spine by wooden wedge and glue; black hair, ends wrapped in wire, have been inserted into five drilled holes along back of fin; light blue band, close to top of fin, has a circular hole; carved profile face at base has square abalone shell teeth; fin outlined in black; backbone has unpainted spaces between disks, four pieces of inlaid abalone on each side of fin; circular hole at neck; tail flukes have incised triangular areas between two black ovoid eyes, orange-red and light blue u forms on either side of eyes, flukes outlined in black; two curved ribs on each side attach to spine and black band base, final rib before tail is black; band base has two incised crescentic marks on each side, under tail flukes are two circular eyes with split u forms on either side, incised triangular design between eyes, crescentic shape above each eye; pectoral fins overlap band base and have u, ovoid and a tri-pointed design; head has a curved forehead with a vertical ridge between the eyes; orbital ridge melds with the snout and lip band; upper portion of eyes protrudes; black eyes in narrow pointed eyelid lines; upper incisors overlap lower lip band. Beneath jaw is an incised dogfish head with black brows, flat flaring nostrils and a wide continuous lip band. Underside of tail flukes signed: Dempsey Bob 1987; b imposed on a d/87.

Cultural Context

contemporary art