'Ksan Doors Item Number: 3685/1 a-d from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
'Ksan Doors: four large cedar panels that join in pairs. Panels (a-b) are wide, and panels (c-d) are narrow. Each panel is covered with carved figures and designs on both front and back, with an uncarved border around the edges. Panels (a-b) have representations of Wolf, Frog, and Fireweed clans on the front, and the Sun (clockwise from top), the Son of the Sun, the Grandmother, Skawah on the back of her husband, raven and bear on the back. The side panels (c-d) also have representations of Wolf, Frog and Fireweed on the front, and black bear, hawk and beaver on one, and Whale, Fireweed, Wolf and Frog on the other.
Narrative
Commissioned in 1975 to be the outer door panels of the new museum building. Dedication ceremony held May 6, 1976. The panels were carved by ‘Ksan carvers Walter Harris, Earl Muldoe, Vernon Stephens and Art Sterritt. In the original installation, when the doors were closed the four panels resembled a bentwood box, symbolically representing MOA as a container of treasured possessions. The door panels were moved inside to the lobby during the MOA Renewal project, c. 2009 (at the entrance to the gift shop). The carving on the panels represents a Gitxsan origin story.
Item History
- Made by Walter Harris (Maker), Earl Muldoe (Maker), Vernon Stephens (Maker), Art Sterritt (Maker) and Ken M. Mowatt (Technician) in Hazelton, British Columbia, Canada during 1976
- Collected during 1976
- Owned by Museum of Anthropology before January 15, 2025
- Received from Walter Harris (Seller) on January 15, 2025
What
- Name
- 'Ksan Doors
- Identification Number
- 3685/1 a-d
- Type of Item
- door
- Material
- red cedar wood
- Part A
- height 314.96 cm, width 181.93 cm, depth 10.8 cm
- Part B
- height 314.96 cm, width 181.61 cm, depth 11.11 cm
- Part C
- height 314.96 cm, width 120.65 cm, depth 10.48 cm
- Part D
- height 314.96 cm, width 120.65 cm, depth 10.8 cm
Who
- Culture
- Gitxsan
- Creator
- Walter Harris (Maker), Earl Muldoe (Maker), Vernon Stephens (Maker), Art Sterritt (Maker) and Ken M. Mowatt (Technician)
- Previous Owner
- Museum of Anthropology
- Received from
- Walter Harris (Seller)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Hazelton, British Columbia, Canada
When
- Creation Date
- during 1976
- Collection Date
- during 1976
- Ownership Date
- before January 15, 2025
- Acquisition Date
- on January 15, 2025
Other
- Condition
- good
- Accession Number
- 3685/0001 a-d