Women Carvers on the Northwest Coast
Organized by the Audain Art Museum, Women Carvers on the Northwest Coast sheds light on and celebrates women's contributions to the rich carving tradition of the Northwest Coast.
The Gallery presents a condensed version of the exhibition Curve! Women Carvers on the Northwest Coast, featuring close to 60 works on loan from public and private collections across Canada and the United States. These artworks include poles, panels, masks, bowls, and other sculptures all intertwined with traditional knowledge. The exhibition focuses on a selection of carvers active from the 1950s to present day, highlighting the pivotal role of women artists within the larger tradition of Indigenous carving along the coast of British Columbia.
Ellen Neel, Freda Diesing, and Doreen Jensen, three iconic Northwest Coast artists, serve as historic context for this exhibition. Their contributions paved the way for subsequent generations of carvers and left an indelible mark on Northwest Coast art. Susan Point, Dale Marie Campbell, and Marianne Nicolson represent a group of highly accomplished senior artists. Marika Echachis Swan, Morgan Asoyuf, Cori Savard, Stephanie Anderson, Veronica Waechter, Arlene Ness, Cherish Alexander, and Melanie Russ represent mid-career / emerging talents that continue to push carving traditions forward.
Co-curated by Dana Claxton and Curtis Collins
Date
Location
Artwork
Dale Marie Campbell, Woman Who Brought the Salmon, 2021. Alder, abalone shell, pigment; 33 × 30 × 10 cm. Private collection. © Dale Marie Campbell. Photo: NK Photo
Dale Marie Campbell, Woman Who Brought the Salmon, 2021. Alder, abalone shell, pigment; 33 × 30 × 10 cm. Private collection. © Dale Marie Campbell. Photo: NK Photo
Stephanie Anderson, The Dreamer, 2018. Alder, horsehair, pigment; 35 × 25 × 8 cm. Private collection. © Stephanie Anderson. Photo: NK Photo
Stephanie Anderson, The Dreamer, 2018. Alder, horsehair, pigment; 35 × 25 × 8 cm. Private collection. © Stephanie Anderson. Photo: NK Photo
Cori Savard, Xiilang (Thunderbird), 2021. Yellow cedar, pigment; 91 × 91 × 5 cm. Private collection. © Cori Savard. Photo: Kenji Nagai
Cori Savard, Xiilang (Thunderbird), 2021. Yellow cedar, pigment; 91 × 91 × 5 cm. Private collection. © Cori Savard. Photo: Kenji Nagai
Susan A. Point, Gift for Qulqulil Comb, 2003. Red cedar, copper, pigment; 208 × 79 × 10 cm. Collection of Robert C. Bergstrom. © Susan Point. Photo: Kenji Nagai
Susan A. Point, Gift for Qulqulil Comb, 2003. Red cedar, copper, pigment; 208 × 79 × 10 cm. Collection of Robert C. Bergstrom. © Susan Point. Photo: Kenji Nagai
Marianne Nicolson, Ƨ∩ƎЯCꟼ, 2023. Cedar, pigment; 105 × 105 × 3 cm. Private collection. © Marianne Nicolson. Photo: Kenji Nagai
Marianne Nicolson, Ƨ∩ƎЯCꟼ, 2023. Cedar, pigment; 105 × 105 × 3 cm. Private collection. © Marianne Nicolson. Photo: Kenji Nagai
Freda Diesing, Old Woman with Labret, 1973. Alder, cedar bark, hair, abalone shell, pigment; 20.3 × 22.9 × 15.2 cm. Audain Art Museum Collection. Purchased with funds from the Audain Foundation (2020.005). © Estate of Freda Diesing. Photo: Kenji Nagai
Freda Diesing, Old Woman with Labret, 1973. Alder, cedar bark, hair, abalone shell, pigment; 20.3 × 22.9 × 15.2 cm. Audain Art Museum Collection. Purchased with funds from the Audain Foundation (2020.005). © Estate of Freda Diesing. Photo: Kenji Nagai
Ellen Neel, Totem Pole Model, 1955. Red cedar, pigment; 86 × 45 × 22 cm. Museum of Vancouver Collection (AA 1768a-c). Photo: Courtesy of the Museum of Vancouver
Ellen Neel, Totem Pole Model, 1955. Red cedar, pigment; 86 × 45 × 22 cm. Museum of Vancouver Collection (AA 1768a-c). Photo: Courtesy of the Museum of Vancouver
Organized by the Audain Art Museum. This exhibition is a selection from Curve! Women Carvers on the Northwest Coast
With support from the Audain Foundation and the National Gallery of Canada Foundation
