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Cultural Context

contemporary art

History Of Use

Northwest Coast serigraphs are a contemporary art form, deriving from early 20th century drawings of traditional crest and decorative designs, commissioned by anthropologists and undertaken by artists such as Charles Edenshaw. Residential schools reinforced the medium, while discouraging the use of traditional themes. An important series of traditional designs in coloured pencil and watercolour were done by Mungo Martin for UBC in 1949-50. The 1960's saw the rapid growth of prints, first in unlimited poster editions, and later with the establishment of the Gitanmaax School of Northwest Coast Indian Art at 'Ksan (1967), and of the Northwest Coast Indian Artists Guild (1977), limited edition art runs became the standard. Northwest Coast silkscreen prints are part of the mainstream art market, as well as, functioning within the native context as potlatch gifts, and commemorative prints. Although, there are distinctive regional styles, individual artists may work in several styles, or apply unique themes and variations to specific works.

Description

Stylized images with two similar mirror-image birds at top, large container-like object at centre. Two similar mirror image animals along bottom. On right centre edge is a profile mask; scalloped border across top. Birds face to centre; spread, curved wings with four u-shaped segments on each side in red-brown with black detail; black rectangular body and three segment tail; red-brown head at top with slightly crooked beak. Detail of birds varies with plume, central body and number and thickness of lines in mouth. Animals are profile, wolf-like with red-brown bodies, curling tails and upper limbs. Lower limbs, ears, eyes, canines and other details are black. Minor variations include '*' at centre body on left, '+' on right; more teeth indicated on left and variation on split-u ear detail. Large central cylinder is black with squared-off lip and base, constricted below rim, sides taper to larger base. At top is red-brown fire-like mass with curling appendages. Scalloped edge is red-brown across top, bisected by black-line scallop across bottom. Pencil inscription across bottom reads '123/150 Family Dance Curtain A Thompson 7/80'. Embossed stamp at bottom right: Open Pacific Graphics. Printed on beige paper stock.