Weget & the Wooden Slave

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 Artists 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

Left facing figure on the right side is in black with sweeping lines and ovoids, etc. With a profile raven head and wing along with two human-like legs, the left is flexed and the right is straight with a pointed toe. This figure is bending over a left-facing profile face in black with black u forms in the front and fin and/or limb-like shapes to the right. Sweeping black and red lines between and around the figures. Pencil inscription across the bottom edge reads '11/50 WEGET & THE WOODEN SLAVE Ken M. Mowatt / 77'. The print is on a vertically rectangular, white paper piece with deckle edges on the sides, and a rough cut on the top and the bottom.