Native Art and Airports

Susan Point's Whorl at YVR

With the popularity of air travel and the transient nature of flying from one destination to the other, airports are becoming destinations in and of themselves. As flight prices became affordable and technological developments enabled planes to fly further and faster during the boom of the airline industry in the postbellum 1950s, long-haul necessities such as stopovers and connections became the norm. With patrons beginning to spend more and more time in airports around the world, and many travellers being put in the position to judge cities (and even entire countries) on time spent within specific airports, these facilities began making an effort to be both practical and cultural in nature. 

Airports are responsible for providing first impressions. If you get off of a plane only to enter a drab and dirty airport belonging to a foreign and unfamiliar city, you very well may judge this new land before you have even left the building. On the other hand, a clean and well-appointed airport can reflect a city and community that is proud and eager to make a good impression. Above and beyond logistical efficiencies, cleanliness, and safety, the aesthetic qualities of an airport are among the most important factors when considering how these bastions of modern travel affect those traversing their various terminals, tunnels, and tarmacs.

Several airports in North America have stepped up and made a great effort to highlight and promote the Indigenous cultures upon whose land they have been situated. This is a positive and effective approach to design and decoration for many reasons. Artwork produced by cultures within their traditional territories can represent idiosyncratic aesthetic values and reinforce unique geographical features.

The Albuquerque International Sunport, for example, houses over one hundred permanent artworks that communicate the overarching aesthetic values of New Mexico and the primary traits of Pueblo artwork. This airport art collection is not composed entirely of Indigenous work, but an effort is made to promote Pueblo taste and artistic values. The Sunport has been greatly successful with their design approach, with USA Today ranking it as one of the top ten airports for art in the USA.

Allan Houser's Apache Crown Dancer at ABQ

Vancouver’s YVR Art Foundation was founded in 1993 and made it a priority to feature British Columbian First Nations art in the city’s main airport. Red Cedar, monumentality, and interconnectedness are elements essential to both British Columbia as a geographical region and the First Nations from this province, and most of the works in Vancouver International Airport epitomize these elements.

Referencing their promotion of Aboriginal art, the YVR Art Foundation strives “to do its part in helping these traditions flourish and to contribute to the success of a new generation of BC First Nations artists.” In addition to expressing the character of the land and the artistic values of the Indigenous cultures that inhabit it, including First Nations art in a bustling public venue such as an airport is also beneficial from a commercial standpoint.

Connie Watts' Hetux Thunderbird at YVR

The Phoenix Sky Harbour International Airport contains not only a permanent art collection, but also a museum displaying rotating exhibits and numerous shops and galleries that sell Indigenous art from the area. It is the Phoenix Airport’s mission to create a space for travelers “that promotes Arizona’s unique artistic and cultural heritage”. This promotion is not simply aesthetic, for the inclusion of retail spaces dedicated to art and jewellery produced by the Ak-Chin, Yavapai, Colorado River Tribes, and local cultures encourages visitors to support the community on an economic level as well.

From February to June of last year, the Phoenix Airport teamed up with the Heard Museum to present an exhibition of Native bolo ties. This was an ingenious idea for a show because bolo ties are one of the most popular and common jewellery items produced by Indigenous cultures in the Southwest. This temporary exhibition was an excellent way to both educate travelers about this form of jewellery and encourage them to purchase one of these beautiful and locally-made items. Furthermore, this small display was up during the Heard Museum Guild’s Indian Fair and Market, which is held in Phoenix every year and is a huge tourist attraction.

Phoenix Airport's Bolo Ties Exhibition

While it is outstanding that Albuquerque, Vancouver, and Phoenix have acknowledged and promoted the unique Indigenous cultures from their respective regions, the inclusion of Native art in public spaces, such as airports, needs to be improved. Airports are a necessity of travel, and communities that contain vibrant Native art markets should take advantage of these teeming travel hubs to elevate the output of their Indigenous inhabitants.

The Phoenix Sky Harbour International Airport contains not only a permanent art collection, but also a museum displaying rotating exhibits and numerous shops and galleries that sell Indigenous art from the area. It is the Phoenix Airport’s mission to create a space for travellers “that promotes Arizona’s unique artistic and cultural heritage”. This promotion is not simply aesthetic, for the inclusion of retail spaces dedicated to art and jewellery produced by the Ak-Chin, Yavapai, Colorado River Tribes, and local cultures encourages visitors to support the community on an economic level as well.
From February to June of last year, the Phoenix Airport teamed up with the Heard Museum to present an exhibition of Native bolo ties. This was an ingenious idea for a show because bolo ties are one of the most popular and common jewellery items produced by Indigenous cultures in the Southwest. This temporary exhibition was an excellent way to both educate travellers about this form of jewellery and encourage them to purchase one of these beautiful and locally-made items. Furthermore, this small display was up during the Heard Museum Guild’s Indian Fair and Market, which is held in Phoenix every year and is a huge tourist attraction
- See more at: http://urbannativemag.com/top-3-airports-for-indigenous-artwork/#sthash.P3WU6tAY.dpuf

The Phoenix Sky Harbour International Airport contains not only a permanent art collection, but also a museum displaying rotating exhibits and numerous shops and galleries that sell Indigenous art from the area. It is the Phoenix Airport’s mission to create a space for travellers “that promotes Arizona’s unique artistic and cultural heritage”. This promotion is not simply aesthetic, for the inclusion of retail spaces dedicated to art and jewellery produced by the Ak-Chin, Yavapai, Colorado River Tribes, and local cultures encourages visitors to support the community on an economic level as well.
From February to June of last year, the Phoenix Airport teamed up with the Heard Museum to present an exhibition of Native bolo ties. This was an ingenious idea for a show because bolo ties are one of the most popular and common jewellery items produced by Indigenous cultures in the Southwest. This temporary exhibition was an excellent way to both educate travellers about this form of jewellery and encourage them to purchase one of these beautiful and locally-made items. Furthermore, this small display was up during the Heard Museum Guild’s Indian Fair and Market, which is held in Phoenix every year and is a huge tourist attraction
- See more at: http://urbannativemag.com/top-3-airports-for-indigenous-artwork/#sthash.P3WU6tAY.dpuf

 Keywords: "Alex Dawkins", "Vancouver Airport Art", "best airport artwork"

While it is outstanding that Albuquerque, Vancouver, and Phoenix have acknowledged and promoted the unique Indigenous cultures from their respective regions, the inclusion of Native art in public spaces, such as airports, needs to be improved. Airports are a necessity of travel, and communities that contain vibrant Native art markets should take advantage of these teeming travel hubs to elevate the output of their Indigenous inhabitants. - See more at: http://urbannativemag.com/top-3-airports-for-indigenous-artwork/#sthash.P3WU6tAY.dpuf

The Phoenix Sky Harbour International Airport contains not only a permanent art collection, but also a museum displaying rotating exhibits and numerous shops and galleries that sell Indigenous art from the area. It is the Phoenix Airport’s mission to create a space for travellers “that promotes Arizona’s unique artistic and cultural heritage”. This promotion is not simply aesthetic, for the inclusion of retail spaces dedicated to art and jewellery produced by the Ak-Chin, Yavapai, Colorado River Tribes, and local cultures encourages visitors to support the community on an economic level as well.
From February to June of last year, the Phoenix Airport teamed up with the Heard Museum to present an exhibition of Native bolo ties. This was an ingenious idea for a show because bolo ties are one of the most popular and common jewellery items produced by Indigenous cultures in the Southwest. This temporary exhibition was an excellent way to both educate travellers about this form of jewellery and encourage them to purchase one of these beautiful and locally-made items. Furthermore, this small display was up during the Heard Museum Guild’s Indian Fair and Market, which is held in Phoenix every year and is a huge tourist attraction.
- See more at: http://urbannativemag.com/top-3-airports-for-indigenous-artwork/#sthash.P3WU6tAY.dpuf

Northwest Coast Native Art - Some Clarifications



Justin Rivard Wrap Ring

Art of the Northwest Coast Native peoples - indigenous cultures based in British Columbia, Washington State, and Oregon - is distinct from art produced by other cultures within North America. This brief overview has been created to clear up some misconceptions about Aboriginal art and culture from the West Coast of North America.

First, there are twenty-seven unique Native cultural groups in British Columbia alone. These groups have their own languages and idiosyncratic aesthetic systems. The term 'Haida' is often used to describe Native art from the Northwest Coast, but the Haida are just one of many groups producing artwork...although this particular culture is indeed more productive than many! A more accurate general term is 'Northwest Coast Art'.

Second, the politically correct term to describe indigenous peoples in Canada and here on the West Coast is 'First Nations'. While blanket terms with anthropological roots such as 'Aboriginal' and 'Indigenous' are not incorrect, preferred terms are 'Native' and 'First Nations'. Terminology is different in the United States, where 'Native American' is still commonly used, and the controversial and outdated 'Indian' tag is still carelessly thrown around in everyday parlance.

Third, art and jewellery from Washington State and BC are based upon family crests. Crests are figures and symbols used to visually communicate an individual's family history and mythological origins. For example, the Gitksan of northern British Columbia are all divided into four clans: Frog, Eagle, Wolf, and Fireweed. Members of each clan then inherit secondary crests which are used when creating regalia and objects of adornment. This adherence to animal symbols (in such a structured fashion) is unique to the Northwest Coast when considering indigenous art from North America.



'Salmon Life Cycle' by Kelvin Thompson

Finally, a noteworthy trait of Native artwork from this part of the world is the specialization of hand-engraving. Hand-engraved jewellery is difficult to find to begin with, and has its roots in European jewellery-making, but First Nations artists in BC and Washington State have really made inroads into this field. Jewellery-making and silversmithing is common with other indigenous cultures in North America - as with the amazing silver and turquoise pieces created by both the Navajo and Hopi - but the Northwest Coast is the only area where you will find intricately hand-engraved collectibles. Northwest Coast Native artists are always in high demand to engrave custom wedding rings here in Vancouver!

By far the best place to familiarize oneself with carving and jewellery from the Northwest Coast is Vancouver's Lattimer Gallery. In business since 1986, this Vancouver landmark carries works for every budget and strives to represent those artists who are determined to push this art form forward. The Etsy shop Art From Above Native Jewellery is also spectacular.

Keywords: "Alex Dawkins Vancouver", "Native American Jewelry", "Native Art Vancouver"

Steve and Rod Smith - Collaboration & Contrast

I studied Art History as an undergraduate and was initially drawn to the diverse media and subject matter that make-up Modern Art from the Western world. From blown glass to formaldehyde fetuses - and from psychoanalysis to automatism - art from the Twentieth Century was so complex and varied that it met many of my intellectual needs, as a right-brained nerd in his early twenties. As I began to consider applying for a Masters degree in this field, however, I found it more and more difficult to find a particular artist or subject to focus on. There was simply too much diversity in twentieth-century art, and I couldn’t think of something that I really wanted to dedicate my time and money to. During my final year, I began working at Vancouver’s Lattimer Gallery. I was not particularly fond of British Columbian First Nations art prior to securing this position at the gallery, but it did not take long for my understanding of this art to develop, and then for my appreciation to pullulate. One of the things that I found so satisfying about this art form was that it had historically-defined and aesthetic constraints, unlike modern art from Europe and North America. There are subjects and shapes and colours that define the creative output of artists from the various cultures along the Northwest Coast, and it takes truly creative individuals to produce novel and innovative works within these artistic and cultural traditions. My time at Lattimer Gallery sparked a passion for Native art from the West Coast, and this is what I ended up getting my Masters degree in.

Two artists that best demonstrate this rare ability to propel Northwest Coast Native art, given these aesthetic and thematic boundaries, are brothers Steve Smith Dla’kwagila and Rod Smith Galuyagmi. Their father, Harris Smith, was an established Kwakwaka’wakw artist who was very successful in Vancouver and on Vancouver Island during the 1980s and 1990s. He developed a distinctive style of painting based on the abstraction of Northwest Coast First Nations design elements. The ovoid, split-u, and s-form would cover surfaces from rustic burl vessels to iconic totem poles in a fluid and dynamic fashion. Harris still produced conventional masks and prints and paintings, but he created many pieces that were blatantly non-figurative and notably innovative. Steve and Rod took-up this style of painting and design sense, but went slightly different ways with it. Most of Steve’s pieces cling to the figurative, while Rod has really embraced and perfected painting in the abstract. Having said this, both brothers have a lot in common: they possess the awe-inspiring ability to apply their idiosyncratic painting style to most any shape and surface, and they have consistently created new and completely original works for over twenty years.

Lattimer Gallery is holding an exhibition of Steve and Rod’s work between June 22nd – July 20th. The show is titled Collaboration & Contrast, and in addition to highlighting the differences between these two unpredictable artists the exhibition will also contain pieces that the brothers have made cooperatively. Steve and Rod are in their prime right now, both born in the 1960s, so I strongly encourage anyone interested in Northwest Coast Native art to go and check out this show. Also, if you can at all afford it, I would advise that you purchase a piece by one of these artists as well!

Keywords: "Steve Smith Native Art", "Alex Dawkins", "Native Art Vancouver"

Lattimer Gallery Charity Bentwood Boxes

One of the coolest things currently happening in the Northwest Coast Native Art scene is Lattimer Gallery's annual Charity Bentwood Box Event.  The gallery has been doing this for the past five years and it is based around the unconventional ornamentation of small, hand-made cedar steam-bent boxes by British Columbia's top First Nations artists and jewelers. The boxes all start off looking the same, but artists are encouraged to manipulate and decorate them in experimental ways.

All of the work in the creation of these small cedar boxes is donated: the boxes themselves are steam-bent and donated by Metis/Cree artist James Michels; the promotion and collected funds are donated by Lattimer Gallery; and the artwork is donated by the artists. The boxes are sold through silent auction and can be seen online at www.lattimergallery.com. Current selling prices are updated in realtime on Lattimer Gallery's website, and bids can be placed in person, via email, or by phone. Bids are accepted between November 24-December 8 this year. 

Artists involved for 2012 include Haida artist Don Yeomans, Kwakwaka'wakw artist Richard Sumner, and Heiltsuk artist Bradley Hunt.

The money raised will be donated to Urban Native Youth Association, a Vancouver organization which has been providing 21 prevention-focused programs and services to Native Youth since 1988 to help them meet their immediate and longer-term needs. They have started an Endowment Fund for Native youth, and Lattimer Gallery will work with UNYA for three years to help develop this fund.

Keywords: "Native Art Vancouver", "Alex Dawkins", "Northwest Coast Gifts"

Beau Dick Burning His Masks

Would your opinion of an artwork change if you saw it in a gallery and were then informed that it was going to be intentionally destroyed in the near future? From a large collection of masks by Kwakwaka'wakw-Haida artist Beau Dick currently on display at Macaulay & Co, forty of the forty-nine pieces are set to be burned after the exhibition.

Image Courtesy of Just Art Gallery

It is true that these masks - as with many masks that are made for use rather than aesthetic appreciation - are a little rough around the edges, but Beau Dick is up there in the ranks amongst the Northwest Coast's best carvers. As one who studies and collects Northwest Coast art, and as one who views much First Nations art outside of its cultural context, I can't help but feel that some of those masks should be on my wall instead of on a bonfire. Beau says of the masks that are going to be burned: “It takes away any monetary value they have in this world and makes it real. What we have to do is recreate them — and that keeps them alive.” 

This will be the fourth time that these masks have been danced. Since four is significant number in Kwakwaka'wakw culture, these masks will be danced in four ceremonies this fall and then burned. Sarah Macaulay was co-founder of Vancouver's Blanket Gallery but has now ventured out on her own. She has always shown an interest in First Nations culture and masks. Macaulay & Co is located at 560 Seymour Street and this eclectic show runs until September 22, 2012.

Cranmer + Gray Exhibition

Heart Sutra Mask, Phil Gray
Courtesy of Coastal Peoples

There is a dramatic divide between Northwest Coast Native art from the north of the province and from the south of the province. While each culture in British Columbia creates work with distinctive styles and figures, the formline design and colours used by the Coast Salish, Kwakwaka'wakw, and Nuu-chah-nulth are easily identifiable and entirely unique. In certain forms and genres, creative objects from these southern groups have little, if nothing, in common with art from up north. Coastal Peoples' current Cranmer + Gray show features two young artists who epitomize their respective cultures when it comes to artistic output. Kevin Cranmer's Kwakwaka'wakw pieces can barely contain all of the bright colours and salmon-trouthead elements packed into them. They are busy, extremely detailed, and animated. Phil Gray's pieces, in contrast, are subdued in colour, unconventional, and stress the bold formline design that has become a trademark of Tsimshian artwork. While I prefer Northwest Coast Native art that fuses classic design with experimental elements, one cannot help but marvel at Kevin's inlays and precise execution. Phil is only 29, and Kevin is 45...both artists have hit their stride and are arguably creating the best work of their lives right now.

I have a mask, pendant, and bentwood box by Phil. I went to this show because I love his work and know him pretty well, but I was surprised at how much I enjoyed viewing his work in contrast to Kevin's. In terms of Aboriginal Art, the Northwest Coast of North America cannot be beat! This show is on until August 2nd. If you miss it, you can always see a broad selection of Phil's work at Lattimer Gallery. 

Warning: Coastal Peoples releases items as they sell, which is an unconventional and irritating approach. Due to this exhibition method, not all items included in the show and on the website are in the actual gallery!

Native Art and Copyright

I love Northwest Coast Native art. I am also an information professional. Intellectual property laws in Canada are often really difficult to apply to First Nations artwork and cultural creations, and these difficulties prompted me to explore this disconnect in detail. The following is pretty academic, but should be of some interest to Native art fans and/or information managers!

Protecting the Immaterial

Works such as Susan Point’s monumental ‘People Amongst the People’ portals in Stanley Park and Connie Watts’ jaw-dropping ‘Hetux Thunderbird’ installation at Vancouver International Airport are representations of cultural values and oral histories that connect the First Nations of today with their ancestors from the distant past. Indigenous conceptions of ownership and intellectual property, from the Maori in New Zealand to the Yup’ik in Alaska, often conflict with the copyright acts created by colonial governments. 

Connie Watts' Hetux Thunderbird at YVR

While Bill Reid’s ‘Jade Canoe’ is celebrated as an artistic masterwork and has been placed on Canada’s twenty dollar bill as a symbol of Northwest Coast aesthetics and individual creativity, it was originally created as a visual guide to the Haida Nation’s family crest symbols and the culture’s unique creation myths. The Canadian government values this work for reasons that are quite different from the ways in which the Haida people value it. While the Canadian Copyright Act indicates that this work belonged to Bill Reid, the artist viewed it as a visual representation of ‘The Spirit of Haida Gwaii’ (which was also the alternate name of the sculpture) and a work created on behalf of his culture.

Central to the subjects of information policy and copyright when considering the concept of property within indigenous cultures are issues of collective authorship, the ownership of immaterial works (such as songs and dances), and the value of originality. This entry will explore these three issues.

Collective Authorship

When history and folklore are communicated within cultures where the written word is not the primary mode of recordkeeping, communal knowledge and storytelling become invaluable. Important myths involving lineage and creation, such as the legend of Raven Stealing the Light on the West Coast, become known by everyone in the community and often transform into a ubiquitous artistic motif. Even though individuals may create objects depicting Raven Stealing the Light, for example, this is a communal myth that every clan and community member has connections to. A conflict arises when this notion of communal ownership must adapt to the Western principles of “absolute individual ownership and freedom of alienability of property” (Dambiec, 2005). Due to the fact that the majority of symbols used in Aboriginal art - along the Northwest Coast and around the world - are tied to heritage and the communal responsibility of knowledge dissemination, indigenous artists do not claim cultural designs (such as Raven Stealing the Light in BC, or the Hei Matau in New Zealand, or Djang'Kawu in Australia) as their own, legally-protected intellectual property. Having said this, the ownership of cultural symbolism does become an issue relating to intellectual property when third parties attempt to profit from unprotected indigenous works.

A recent demonstration of the Canadian Copyright Act’s limitations emerged during the 2010 Winter Olympics, here in Vancouver. VANOC purchased specific designs created by Northwest Coast Native artists, altered and licensed these designs, had factories in China produce items using these designs, and then sold the items as "authentic Aboriginal products". This case validates the need for the legal definition of authorship to be expanded within Canadian, and international, intellectual property law. There should be a legal mechanism to reinforce the bonds between indigenous cultures and their visual heritage. 

Ownership of the Immaterial

How can Copyright and Intellectual Property Law protect a creation if it is not produced in a tangible form? While most Aboriginal communities wish to protect their intangible cultural knowledge for preservation purposes rather than financial gain, there should still be legal implements available to these communities that allow them to prevent their heritage from being exploited. What if songs are not transferred to compact disc, and dance choreographies aren’t recorded, and legends are not published in book form? Even though specific songs and dances from the Kwakwaka’wakw people of Vancouver Island, for instance, have been passed down within certain families from one generation to the next - for centuries - the Canadian legal system simply does not acknowledge this form of inheritance and ownership. Case law involving the Canadian Copyright Act has made it necessary for a work to be “expressed to some extent at least in some material form, capable of identification and having a more or less permanent endurance” in order for it to be protected by the Act (Canadian Admiral Corp v. Rediffusion). Brascoupe and Endemann point out a further complication regarding immaterial property by explaining that if Aboriginal cultures within North America decide upon disclosure as a means of protecting their immaterial property (e.g. allowing an institution to record traditional songs) this property enters the public domain and cannot be covered by Intellectual Property law either (10).

Most companies and enterprises are not determined to pilfer the cultural heritage of Canada’s First Nations communities, but there have been cases where outsiders have profited from First Nations largely unprotected immaterial culture. One example can be found in the photographs of Edward S. Curtis, and in the 1914 film that he made titled In the Land of the Head Hunters. Curtis attained money and fame from capturing and manipulating images of significant cultural ceremonies and objects belonging to the Kwakwaka’wakw people. Federal legislation must be amended to help protect immaterial creative output. Some copyright legislation does not require fixation. Switzerland and Germany, for example, allow individuals to try and obtain copyright coverage without fixation, though they must make a case for their works and provide necessary documentation (Crews, 2000). 

The Value of Originality

Capitalism and European-based conceptions of ownership dictate that individuals should acquire objects and value them for both the status they infer and their unique qualities. An emphasis is placed on innovation, and rewarding those who both develop and financially support these innovations. Radios with superheterodyne receivers were deemed more valuable than single-band receivers in the 1920s, and you might as well not even have a cell phone if isn’t going to be the iPhone 5. With this ingrained outlook on individual property rights and ownership, one can imagine how Spanish, British, and Russian settlers to the West Coast reacted when they first witnessed First Nations families giving away, and in some cases destroying (AHRG, 2001), most of their belongings during potlatch ceremonies (Jonaitis, 1991). Many Aboriginal cultures throughout North America did not (and still do not, in specific circumstances) value objects in and of themselves, and this is one of the reasons why the repetition of designs, the intricate ornamentation of mundane items, and the ritual destruction of valuables was commonplace. As a result of the gift economy system, and the belief that lineage and cultural rights mean more than material goods, it is easy to understand why issues such as copyright and individual ownership of objects were not a concern in the past. However, through colonial activity and the propagation of capitalism, these issues have become a concern to Aboriginal peoples around the world.

The “identifiable creator” and the “originality” requirements to protect works under Canadian copyright law are often difficult to meet within the context of Aboriginal cultural property. The difficulty with these requirements can be identified when considering the example of mass-produced model totem poles (Spratley, 2007). Most tourist shops in Vancouver carry small totem poles created from black resin and stone powder that are intended to resemble the miniature totem poles that were carved from Haida Gwaii argillite beginning in the mid-1800s. In fact, all of these replicas are based on original argillite sculptures that originate from Haida Gwaii and are now in museum collections throughout North America. Some of these poles carry artist attributions, but many do not. Companies such as North Vancouver’s Panabo Sales take advantage of the fact that most of these sculptures were never signed by artists (no identifiable creator) and that most poles depict near-identical crest figures (similarities that can be deemed unoriginal).

It may be true that First Nations’ conceptions of originality and ownership differ from prevailing views on these topics, but it is also true that third parties should not be profiting due to the Copyright Act’s inability to protect the cultural property of Aboriginal cultures. 

Solutions

Recent research on the subject of cultural property and the protection of immaterial works within North America’s First Nations communities has demonstrated a disconnect between Aboriginal values and Occidental legislature. While anthropologists, lawyers, art historians, politicians, and First Nations representatives possess differing viewpoints on this subject, several common (and essentially short-term) solutions continue to emerge. 

First, it is recommended that Aboriginal communities meet to identify what is most important to protect and preserve. Family crest figures are traditionally inherited and sacred, but with the popularity of the First Nations art/jewellery market, and the widespread production and consumption of these crest figures, this is not likely an aspect of First Nations cultural property that is a priority to protect. Another consideration for First Nations groups to consider is sacred knowledge. While it is ideal to record and legally protect immaterial creations, some knowledge and works are likely sacred and should never be accessible to those outside of the community. These are issues that must be fleshed-out by individual communities and cultures before any contracts or legal documents are considered. 

Second, there are contracts that can limit access to cultural works. These documents can provide some protection when copyright laws cannot. Prior Informed Consent agreements are one type of document that can aid First Nations communities in controlling how outsiders interact with their culture. For example, PCIs can outline allowable research activities for academics and scientists, and can limit the types of materials that are studied, and even viewed (Carino, 2005). 

Third, protection can be found through various forms of Intellectual Property law, outside of copyright. Copyright is a specific form of Intellectual Property law, but legislation exists that can be applied to broad aesthetic aspects of Aboriginal works. This is especially true here on the west coast of North America, where the Aboriginal aesthetic systems are incredibly rigid and well established (i.e. forms such as the ovoid, tri-neg, and split-u can be found in most Northwest Coast artworks). One form of Intellectual Property law that is an alternative to copyright is the Industrial Design Act. This piece of legislature protects creators against the unlawful imitation if distinctive designs. Similar to much Intellectual Property law, the Industrial Design Act is not a long-term solution, for it is only active for ten years at a time (Brascoupe and Endemann, 1999). However, this type of protection can be useful in certain circumstances, such as protecting the symbolism of the Inuit Inukshuk during the mass of manufacturing that occurred in preparation for the 2010 Winter Olympics. 

References

Applied History Research Group. ‘Canada’s First Nations – Native Civilisations: Haidian’ from the University of Calgary’s Applied History Research Group website. Calgary, AB: University of Calgary, 2001. Accessed 21 February 2012: http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/firstnations/haidian.html

 

Brascoupe, Simon and Endemann, Karin. Intellectual Property and Aboriginal People: A Working Paper. Ottawa, ON: Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, 1999. Accessed 11 February 2012: http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/webarchives/20071126004942/http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/pr/ra/intpro/intpro_e.pdf

 

Brown, Michael. ‘Heritage Trouble: Recent Work on the Protection of Intangible Cultural Property’ from International Journal of Cultural Property. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2005. 12(01): 40-61. 

Canadian Admiral Corp v. Rediffusion Inc., [1954] 20 C.P.R. 75, para 28. 

Carino, Joji. ‘Indigenous Peoples Right to Free, Prior, Informed Consent: Reflections of Concepts and Practice’ from Arizona Journal of International and Comparative Law. Tucson, AZ: University of Arizona, 2005. 22(01): 19-39. 

Carpenter, Megan. ‘Intellectual Property Law and Indigenous Peoples: Adapting Copyright Law to the Needs of a Global Community’ from Yale Human Rights & Development Journal. New Haven, CT: Yale Law, 2004. 7(51): 51-79. 

Crews, Kenneth. ‘International Copyright Summaries’ appendix to Copyright Law and Graduate Research Manual. Ann Arbor, MI: ProQuest, 2000. Accessed 27 February 2012: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/copyright/Summary.html

 

Dambiec, Dieter. ‘Indigenous Peoples’ Folklore and Copyright Law’ from Media Monitors Network website. Brea, CA: MMN, 27 September 2005. Accesed 21 January 2012: http://usa.mediamonitors.net/content/view/full/20295

 

Fisher, Robin. Contact and Conflict: Indian-European Relations in British Columbia - 1774–1890. Vancouver, BC: University of British Columbia Press, 1977. 

Jonaitis, Aldona. Chiefly Feasts: The Enduring Kwakiutl Potlatch. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press, 1991. 

Sprately, David. 'Copyright Law Offers Poor Protection for Aboriginal Cultural Property' from The Lawyers Weekly website. Ottawa, ON: LexisNexis, 23 November 2007. Accessed 21 February 2012: http://www.lawyersweekly.ca/index.php?section=article&articleid=578

The Cropping of Clint Work

Clint Work's Generations Cuff

The act of cropping is creative in and of itself. Whether you are eliminating ex-partners from good photos of yourself, or removing that passerby's noggin from your carefully crafted group shot, the process of deleting visual data from an image is highly subjective and alters the context of the original work. Cropping, when taken to the extreme, can result in close-ups and, therefore, a form of abstraction. The links between cropping and abstraction within the field of two-dimensional art can be traced back to prehistoric times, but cropping became an aesthetic convention during the early 1900s, when the Abstract Expressionists and De Stijl artists employed it to symbolically project their works beyond the canvas. Mondrian lived for that shit.

Over the past twenty years, the re-framing of original designs and the manipulation of aspect ratios in First Nations art has become more and more popular. Robert Davidson began cropping and toying with the rigid Northwest Coast aesthetic system by the early 1970s, and since that time various artists - such as Jay Simeon and Leslie Robert Sam - have become known for creating artworks out of single elements from the multifaceted lexicon of Northwest Coast design. Not many artists know how to do this...well. 


One of the most exciting artists in the Northwest Coast market right now is Clinton Work. While Clint began as a wood carver in his early twenties, and is one of the few artists who beats and weaves his own cedar bark embellishments, he has been engraving jewellery for the past seven years. Having trained with another one of my favourite jewellers, Kelvin Thompson, Clint began playing with texture, abstraction, and cropping as soon as he was proficient with the graver and block. Many of Clint's pieces appear as crisp and precise snapshots of larger, more elaborate designs. For example, his Abstract pendant below presents a set of cropped design fragments that seem to be part of an intricate bentwood box design. And, just to make this piece that much cooler, Clint made it from an old Canadian quarter.

Clint's Abstract Pendant/Coin        

Clint has started applying this dynamic style, based on the principle of cropping, to some of his wood carvings. This method works especially well when it comes to large, round panels. Unfortunately for those fans of his residing in Vancouver, Clint moved to Portland a couple of years ago, in the name of love. What does love matter when it comes to wicked oxidized cuffs and three-foot round, deeply-gouged panels? Come on, Clint! The best place to find recent works by Clint is Lattimer Gallery, and they are always good about uploading his pieces as soon as they receive them. 


Keywords: "Kwakwaka'wakw Jewelry", "Northwest Coast Jewellery", "A. B. C. Dawkins", "Haida Art"

Beat Nation

Although the curatorial directive behind the Vancouver Art Gallery's upcoming Beat Nation: Art, Hip Hop, and Aboriginal Culture show is both vague and broad, this show promises to contain some provocative pieces. This exhibition is actually based on a small event that took place last March at one of the VAG Fuse nights. Facilitated by Vancouver's grunt gallery, fifteen First Nations visual artists and eight performance artists presented works based on their personal interests and skills as representatives of the country's urban Native youth. From the saucy fashion of Tsimshian designer Morgan Green to the free-form poetry of Kinnie Starr, the works included in the event were diverse but were all focused on inner-city living and the influence of hip hop culture. 

As a bridge from last year's casual and energetic Fuse party to the formal exhibition that is beginning this month, the VAG is hosting another Fuse night to open the show. This event is taking place on Friday the 24th, costs $17.50, and lasts from 8:30pm to 1am. I've been to two Fuse nights in the past and they are fun...just be sure to pre-tune since the bar at the gallery isn't cheap.  

It will be interesting to see how a project based on performance art, hip hop, and informal display will translate to a large, white-washed, quiet gallery setting. It will provide the artists with space and time to display their creations, but art forms like graffiti and rap can lose some of their potency when taken out of context. Among some of the objects on display will be Jordan Bennett's carved skateboard decks and Sonny Assu's "indigenized" iPod rondos, which combine Aboriginal shapes and forms with objects that are seen everyday within the metropolises of North America. Beat Nation will run from February 25 to June 3.    



Keywords: "Vancouver Art Gallery", "Skeena Reece", "VAG Fuse", "Alex Dawkins"    

Lattimer Gallery 25-Year Exhibition

Lattimer Gallery opened in its current location, in my home neighbourhood of False Creek, twenty-five years ago as Leona Lattimer Gallery. Preparing for Expo 86 and her personal vision of a Northwest Coast gallery, Leona made her first sale on June 9th, 1986 during an opening event that was well attended by artists, collectors, and friends. To celebrate a quarter century of outstanding artwork, valuable relationships, and community support, Lattimer Gallery will be featuring an exhibition titled Silver: Celebrating 25 Years. Consisting of twenty-five pieces by twenty-five artists, this show will present an exciting mix of modern masterworks and classic creations. From earrings and sculptures to paintings and basketry, Silver will contain a diverse selection of works by artists such as Phil Gray, Corey Moraes, Daphne Odjig, Steve Smith, and Bill Reid. It has always been a goal of the gallery to promote the work of young and emerging artists, and Silver will reflect this ongoing objective. The show will run from June 9th to June 30th, and a preview of the pieces will be on the gallery website by June 1st.

The gallery will also be holding an opening celebration on June 9th. With food, refreshments, and many of the artists that they represent in attendance, this event will be a great opportunity to both see the show and schmooze-it-up. The event will run from 5-8pm and guests are welcome. This is sure to be an exciting evening, and you may even leave with a new piece of art!

NWC Stormtrooper by Andy Everson

The concept of fusing pop art with aboriginal art began more than 100 years ago with the work of the Post-Impressionists. This idea is not new within the Occidental artworld, and it is not even new within the Northwest Coast artworld. First Nations artists along the coast began combining traditional art forms (such as jewellery and masks) with colonial elements (such as Victorian floral motifs and subjects) shortly after the Spanish, English and Scottish settled on the coast in the late 1700s. One of the best examples of this cross-cultural art production can be seen in argillite sculpture. Argillite is a slate-like stone that is found on Haida Gwaai and is inextricably linked to Haida culture. Haida artists began carving argillite in the mid-1800s for tourists on the coast, and many of these early argillite carvings reflect the perceived interests of colonial visitors.

Artist, dancer, scholar and printmaker Andy Everson has been creating art since 1990 that plays with themes of assimilation, integration and interpretation. The thing that I have always liked about his prints, in particular, is that that are always playful. Even when Andy is broaching serious subjects, he does it in a way that is accessible and thought-provoking. I came across one of his recent prints from this year titled 'Warrior (Or: Harbinger of the Treaty Empire?)' and love how it is continuing this dialogue between entrenched aesthetic systems and the pervasiveness of pop culture references.

This print reflects the artist's own feelings as a "trooper" in relation to the treaty agreements that are still enforced by the K'omoks (Comox) Nation, Andy's Nation...he writes: This piece is a clear nod to a favourite childhood movie. I felt it was a great metaphor for the subject matter at hand: is treaty really black and white, or shades of grey? Do the “good guys” always wear white? Will there be a treaty empire and am I part of the rebel alliance? I did insert a glimmer of hope in the chin of the mask--a small cedar tree seedling that represents a rekindling of awareness and growth. 

 

Keywords: Kwakwaka'wakw, "Alex Dawkins", Vancouver, "Native Art", Northwest Coast

Spirit Wrestler's 'Mini-Masterworks IV'

Spirit Wrestler Gallery in Downtown Vancouver is currently displaying their  Mini-Masterworks IV exhibition. The gallery explains that "each Mini-Masterworks exhibition is an eighteen month journey to find rare art works from the Māori of Aotearoa (New Zealand), First Nations of the Pacific Northwest Coast, and Inuit of Alaska and Arctic Canada".

I am fairly ignorant of both Maori and Inuit art, but I do enjoy looking at their Northwest Coast pieces. I also enjoy Spirit Wrestler's Mini-Masterworks shows because I am never tempted to buy anything. While many of the delicate, intricate pieces that they feature are awe-inspiring and completely unique, they are difficult to display and are incredibly impractical. I would much rather purchase a three-foot cedar panel, for example, than a three-inch Catlinite sculpture. Although I am less impressed with this recent outing than shows they have had in the past (what is with all of the frontlets this year?!), I do love a few of the objects.

One of the highlights is Donnie Edenshaw's argillite 'Totem Pole Pendant' (displayed to the left). Measuring just 3 1/4" x 1/4", this piece  displays the proportions and ratios of a full-size cedar pole, and it epitomizes Haida design. I have not been impressed with the work of this young artist in the past, but this is truly a masterwork. Other standout pieces include Jay Simeon's 'Foam Woman' cuff and Isaac Tait's 'Hummingbird Ring Bowl' from 1988. The show is on until April 16th, and all pieces can be viewed on Spirit Wrestler's website.   

Daphne Odjig Stamps

In February of 2011, Canada Post will be releasing three stamps using works by acclaimed First Nations artist, Daphne Odjig. This Art Canada stamp issuing includes three paintings representative of her powerful style: Pow-wow Dancer (1978, acrylic on canvas), Spiritual Renewal (1984, acrylic on canvas) and Pow-wow (1969, acrylic on board).  

A Canadian artist of Aboriginal ancestry, Daphne Odjig was born September 11, 1919, and raised on the Wikwemikong Unceded Indian Reserve on Manitoulin Island (Lake Huron), Ontario. Her father, Dominic Odjig, and her grandfather, Chief Jonas Odjig, were Potawatomi, descended from the great Chief Black Partridge. Her mother, Joyce Peachy, was an English war bride. Her family migrated north and settled in Wikwemikong after the War of 1812. Odjig moved to her current home of Anglemont, British Columbia in 1976. It was at this time that she really hit her stride as a painter. She went on to receive an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from Laurentian University in 1982, an Honorary Doctorate of Law from the University of Toronto in 1985, and an Honorary Doctorate of Education from Nipissing University in 1997. In 2007, Odjig received the Governor General's Award in Visual and Media Arts.  

According to Canada Post, the decision to create three stamps for this edition of the series was made for both aesthetic and practical reasons. In addition to providing collectors with three unique examples of Native Canadian art on stamps, the U.S. and International stamps fulfilled necessary operational requirements.

The Hidden Gitxsan Masterpiece

The main branch of a major bank is likely one of the last places you would expect to house a First Nations masterwork. However, if you enter the Royal Bank main branch at 1025 Georgia Street (at Burrard) and head up the escalators, you will encounter a hidden gem in the form of nine fully carved and painted  red cedar panels. Forming a frieze above the mezzanine offices, these murals span 35 meters and depict various stories involving Weget (the Gitxsan name for Raven, the central trickster/creator figure in many Northwest Coast legends).

Completed over a three-month period in 1972, the frieze was designed and executed by founders of and instructors from the recently defunct Kitanmaax ('Between the Banks') School of Northwest Coast Indian Art in Hazelton. Also known as Ksan, this art school was one of the first dedicated to Northwest Coast Native design and technique. While it was located on Gitxsan land and was known for producing masters of Gitxsan formline design, it quickly began attracting First Nations artists from across the province due to its high standards and renowned instructors. This mural was created by Vernon Stephens, Earl Muldon, Art Sterritt, Walter Harris, Ken Mowatt, and Alfred Joseph. Several of these artists were instructors at Ksan, and all of them are now recognised as masters of Gitxsan art. Earl Muldon, for example, recently became one of the only Northwest Coast artists to ever receive the Order of Canada. I just saw Art Sterritt on TV tonight as a First Nations representative in the opposition of the Northern Gateway Pipeline!


So next time you are depositing money or buying travellers cheques at the Georgia Street Royal Bank, take a look on the second floor.

Terry Would Agree

A few weeks ago, BC's Pavilion Corporation announced that the Terry Fox Monument at Vancouver's distinctive BC Place Stadium will be destroyed as part of the renovations that are taking place at the venue.

 

I am surprised by my happiness over this destructive decision, for I have a nostalgic side that is comforted by the preservation of monuments and heritage structures. However, I always thought that the BC Place Terry Fox Monument clashed with the stadium, reeked of Eighties imprudence, and did very little to  celebrate Terry's life.
 

I visited the BC Sports Hall of Fame about a year ago because a friend of mine was working there with the Marketing department. It was the first time I had been, despite growing up fifteen minutes away from the attraction, and I was surprised by some of the items that they possess. They have Rick Hansen's original Man in Motion wheelchair, and the artificial leg that Terry Fox so depended on during the Marathon of Hope. I am not a very emotional person - I didn't cry during Life is Beautiful and I've been told I have "intimacy issues" more than once - but I did get teary-eyed over the Terry Fox display at the Hall of Fame.  As mentioned, this display is built around Terry's prosthesis. I suppose my reaction was primarily due to the fact that Terry's courage, persistence, and unnatural determination were transferred from Canadian legend and historical fact to a single, tangible object that was then right in front of me. Terry Fox is the Chico Mendes or Clara Barton or Sadako Sasaki of Canada, actively working towards improving the world in the obdurate face of pain, and death. He deserves more than a cheesy, small, narrow, tiled archway.