The culture can survive - let them speak
by Jeff Burgess
Title
The culture can survive - let them speak
Artist
Jeff Burgess
Medium
Photograph - Fusion Photography
Description
This work is based on an original mask with artist unknown. It was photographed at a gallery (by permission) in Victoria, Canada. The original is not cracked and in pristine shape.....modern actually.....though the art was produced by a Canadian Northwest first nation person. I have taken artistic liberty with the work in this presentation with nails, crack, textures, and chain link added. Unfortunately, I did not get the name of the artist that created the mask.
Wikipedia notes that before European contact with the natives of the Northwest the most common creative media was wood as well as stone and copper. After European contact native art included works on paper, canvas, glass. Precious metals were also used. If paint was used, the most common colour was red and black, but yellow was also often used, particularly among Kwakwaka'wakw artists. Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian traditionally produced Chilkat woven regalia, from wool and yellow cedar bark, which was important for civic and ceremonial events, including potlatches.
Patterns that were used depicted include natural forms such as bears, ravens, eagles, orcas, and humans; legendary creatures such as thunderbirds and sisiutls; and abstract forms made up of the characteristic Northwest Coast shapes.
Totem poles are the most well-known artifacts produced using this style. Northwest Coast artists are also notable for producing characteristic "bent-corner" or "bentwood" boxes, masks, and canoes. Northwest Coast designs were also used to decorate traditional First Nations household items such as spoons, ladles, baskets, hats, and paddles; since European contact, the Northwest Coast art style has increasingly been used in gallery-oriented forms such as paintings, prints and sculptures.
Uploaded
October 20th, 2014
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Viewed 803 Times - Last Visitor from New York, NY on 04/05/2024 at 3:06 AM
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Comments (24)
Luther Fine Art
Congratulations! Your fantastic photographic art has been chosen as a Camera Art Group feature! You are invited to archive your work in the feature archive discussion. There are many other discussions in the group where you can promote your art even further more.
John M Bailey
Congratulations on your feature in the Fine Art America Group "Images That Excite You!"
Christel Roelandt
Amazing composition, Jeff, ethnical and contemporary at the same time!! Love this!! L&F&T, Christel.
Byron Varvarigos
Beautiful work showing the plight of the oppressed. I think that the oppressors may be equally oppressed, trapped in their mostly unfounded fears. "the only evil is ignorance." l/f