Contemporary Coast Salish Art

Nancy Davenport author Rebecca Blanchard author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:University of Washington Press

Published:29th Jul '05

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

Contemporary Coast Salish Art cover

Showcases the contemporary work of Native American artists from the Northwest Coast

By carving, weaving, and painting their stories into ceremonial and utilitarian objects, Coast Salish artists render tangible the words and ideas that have been the architecture of this Pacific Northwest Coast culture. This book presents the work of twenty artists, whose work ranges from basketry and weaving to modern glass sculpture.

By carving, weaving, and painting their stories into ceremonial and utilitarian objects, Coast Salish artists render tangible the words and ideas that have been the architecture of this remarkable Pacific Northwest Coast culture. The Coast Salish tribes have developed a culture that was and still is shared orally, steeped in the ritual and beauty of storytelling and mythology. Infused with centuries of sacred teaching, these accounts hold the secrets to the spiritual, political, social, and economic well-being of tribal life. As a testament to their cultural resilience, increasing numbers of contemporary Coast Salish artists have embraced the new materials that "progress" has bestowed--glass, concrete, and steel – juxtaposing ancient images with modern materials.

Contemporary Coast Salish Art presents the work of twenty artists, whose work ranges from traditional forms such as basketry and weaving to modern glass sculpture. The artists featured here – including Bruce Miller, Marvin Oliver, Shaun Peterson, and Susan Point, the progenitors of this movement--perpetuate and expand their ancestors' traditions through their lifelong commitment to visually interpret and rejoice in all the manifestations of their culture.

A good reference catalog concerning the innovative creativity of the Puget Sound Salish. Highly recommended.

* Choice *

A fine illustration of the current state of Coast Salish art. With its juxtaposition of legends with images of glass totem poles and monumental bronze sculptures, Contemporary Coast Salish Art reminds us that traditions are not dusty relics of the past but a part of our lives today. They are in constant creation and flux, just as art is.

* Pacific Northwest Quarter

ISBN: 9780295984858

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 472g

112 pages