Sisiutl and Man

Northwest Coast serigraphs are a contemporary art form, deriving from early 20th Century drawings of traditional crest and decorative designs, commissioned by anthropologists and undertaken by artists such as Charles Edenshaw. Residential schools reinforced the medium, while discouraging the use of traditional themes. An important series of traditional designs in coloured pencil and watercolour were done by Mungo Martin for UBC in 1949-50. The 1960's saw the rapid growth of prints, first in unlimited poster editions, and later with the establishment of the Gitanmaax School of Northwest Coast Indian Art at 'Ksan (1967), and of the Northwest Coast Indian Artist Guild (1977), limited edition art runs became the standard. Northwest Coast silkscreen prints are part of the mainstream art market, as well as, functioning within the native context as potlatch gifts, and commemorative prints. Although, there are distinctive regional styles, individual artists may work in several styles, or apply unique themes and variations to specific works.

contemporary art

Stylized bilaterally symmetrical image; circular double-headed serpent with a frontal figure at centre. Serpent heads meet at top centre with upside down frontal face at bottom. Primary lines are in black with green outlined eyes and black circle in circle centres; red outlined mouths and nostrils. Series of crest on outside of circle, from top to bottom; red split u followed by a black u-shape and red circle in black circle to side; large u with green split u, two red u's and grey ovoid; four black split u's with solid red u; repeat of large u and first crest again at bottom. Serpent body at sides has series of grey split u's in black u at outside with vertical bilaterally symmetrical series of u's at inside. Figure at centre has face in body with hands up beside face and legs bent up beside face and legs bent up to sides. Pencil inscription at bottom reads: "159/200 Sisiutl and Man George Hunt Jr 80." Embossed stamp at lower right reads: "Open Pacific Graphics."