The Elizabeth Cole Butler Collection.

The Elizabeth Cole Butler Collection.

The Elizabeth Cole Butler Collection.

The Elizabeth Cole Butler Collection.

The Elizabeth Cole Butler Collection.

The Elizabeth Cole Butler Collection.

Museum Purchase: The Native American Art Council.

Phillip Charette, whose Yup'ik name Aarnaquq was handed down in his family, is an artist who sees inspiration in traditional forms and creates visually potent statements using a variety of contemporary media. Historically, Yup'ik shamans used Amikuk masks in their healing ceremonies as a portal to travel into the spiritual world. Although the traditional style of Yup'ik mask was carved from wood, Charette uses a range of ceramic techniques to achieve the desired results and even models the clay to simulate the adze marks that appear on the surface of wooden masks. He researches every detail and each aspect has a symbolic reference. For example, the white paint around the eyes represent snow goggles and the red on the lips and interior of the nostrils represents blood, signifying the mask's strength, while the porcelain teeth are a reminder of the dangerous and powerful beings that inhabit the spiritual world.

Round drum with elk hide stretched over a wooden frame, pulled over the sides and secured at the back with fifteen hide ties. There are black and gray ink splash patterns on the face of the drum. There is a large translucent section near the edge. The ties are gathered in a Y shape at the centre of the back. A black string is tied to two of the hide strips on the back, for hanging.