Aboriginal Artistic Expression

“In my language, there is no word for “Art.” This is not because we are devoide of art, but because Art is so powerfully integrated with all aspects of life”

Doreen Jensen, Gitxan artist

Various Art Forms1. Stone and Sculpture Art:

-earliest form of art

-dates back 10,000 yrs.

-stone was used to create:

-decorative objects

-practical tools

Pictorgraphs

-painted images on rocks

-paint was made minerals:

-Ochre (red)

-Charcol (black)

3. Petroglyphs

-Rock Carvings

4. Argillite Carvings

-Carvings + Sculpting

-done with Argillite Stone

-found only on Haida Gwaii

5. Culturally modified Trees:

-trees that are altered by Aboriginal people

*Arboglyph: carved trees

*Arbograph: painted trees

(similar to pictographs but on tree trunks)

FN Art by LocationArt of the BC Interior:-remember interior nations were highly mobile

-thus the art here was light and portable:

*clothing adorned with quills, beads, shells, bones, feathers

*clothing made of hide (moose, deer, caribou)

*clothing made of woven textiles (hemp, cedar, sagebrush, willow)

*painted faces or tattoos

*painted drums, horns and bones

FN Art by LocationMore on Face Painting / Tattooing:

-Interior FN’s decorated their faces by painting and tattooing

-this was a sign of beauty and status

-tattoo’s were done with porcupine quills or a sharp bone that pulled a fine piece of sinew thread coated with charcoal

-they would also “trick” themselves out with feathers, dentalium shells, piercings and pendants/necklaces

Adornment: to decorate oneself (face painting / body painting)

FN Art by Location

Art of the Northwest Coast:

-the Costal Natives had more structured and hierarchical societies

-Main forms of Costal Art:*Totem Poles*House Fronts*Masks*Textiles, basketry, blankets*bentwood boxes

-this lifestyle and social system gave way to highly evolved artistic expressions

Impact of ColonizationColonization took a heavy toll on Northwest Coast art:

1.Smallpox and disease killed many artists 2. influence of Christianity caused some artists to stop their creations many Christians seen totem poles and masks as heathen, pagan and sinful3.Shamanism: aka Witchcraft -- Euro’s and church people claimed that FN art was a form of Witchcraft4.1884 Anti-Potlatch law outlawed ceremonial gatherings these events called for Artistic expression (FN’s would create masks and totem poles for these events)

all these factors led to:- FN’s no longer creating Art forms-the removal, appropriation and bringing

down of existing art forms (such as totem poles)

Artistic Resurgence 1940s-present-around the 1940s people started to look at FN art differently -After WWII many things happened that helped improve the

situation of Aboriginal peoples:-ability to vote (1949)-Anti-potlatch law was dropped (1951)-increased public knowledge of Aboriginal Issues

all this helped to improve Aboriginal social position

-today BC Aboriginal Art is widely recognized and sought after-today FN groups are proud to display their artwork-Today BC FN’s have an Art school:Ksan Historical Village and the Gitanmaxx

school of Northwest Coast Indian Art

Revival of the Great Canoes-recently we have seen the revival of

the great Costal Canoes

-they served many purposes:

-transportation, essential for fishing, gathering food, used for trading and was also a “spiritual vessel”

-since the 1980s there have been a number of “paddles” and “canoe gatherings” across BC

-ex. Paddle to Seattle in 1989

-ex. Pulling Together Paddle (2005-09)

-ex. Okanagan Salmon Feast Paddle

-these are examples of BC FN building ceremonial and spiritual canoes to honor their past Okanagan Song

Famous BC FN Artists

Bill Reid

Roy Henry Vickers

Robert Davidson

Bill Helin

Susan Point

Dorothy Grant