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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

Black rectangle divided into four quadrants. Each quadrant consists of a separate stylized image. Across the top, there are two figures underneath a red gable roof. Above, there are black diagonal lines on the left side and a notched black line following the roof to the right side. Frontal figure on the left side has arms raised beside the head. A red three digit hand on the right side holds a red split u in a black u form while the black hand on the left side has five digits. Has a black ovoid head with black eyes, and the other features are red. The shes has two red split u's in black u forms with a red line at the centre with rib-like red lines below. Large black ovoid in ovoid below with red legs bent up to the sides ending in round black feet with a single digit appendage. Large figure at the top right has arms raised to either side of the head. A five digit black hand is on the left side while a three digit black hand is on the right side. Black outlined hat over black ovoid head, black eyes with the other features in red. Series of black split u's, red u fomrs, and black u forms give a robe appearance to the body with large black ovoid in ovoids at the knees. Bottom right has a red circle with radiating red lines to the quadrant edges and an elongated salmon-trout ovoid across the centre. Bottom left has a diagonal frontal frog-like face with three digit limbs to either side and a crosshatched triangle filled lower half of quadrant. Divided from the frog, top right to bottom left, by notched red band, there are circles and split bands on the right and the bottom. Pencil inscription across the bottom edge reads '25/75 15/8/77 THE WEGET LEGEND Roy Henry Vickers TSIMSIAN TRIBE KITKATLA B.C.'. There is an embossing on the lower right corner for 'NORTH WEST COAST INDIAN ARTISTS GUILD member' with a salmon-trout head at the centre. The print is on a relatively square, light brown paper piece.