Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture Boeken

This work celebrates the vibrancy of contemporary Pacific Northwest Coast art through a selection from the Burke Museum's extensive collection of over 2,400 Native American pieces from the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. The essays delve into contemporary art while highlighting the historical precedents that inform many artists' practices. Contributors reflect on various topics: Margaret Blackman discusses her efforts to build a significant collection of Northwest Coast serigraphs, while Joe David shares insights from his journey in mask-making. Shaun Peterson, Lisa Telford, and Evelyn Vanderhoop examine the revival of artistic styles once preserved by a few key artists. Robin K. Wright investigates the history and resurgence of box drums, and Emily Moore addresses the repatriation of stolen house posts, introducing the concept of "propatriation" for commissioning contemporary replacements. Kathryn Bunn-Marcuse explores how adornments like clothing and tattoos convey tribal and personal identities, linking the past with the present. The diverse perspectives offered resonate with artists, collectors, academics, and tribal communities, enhanced by stunning color photographs of previously unpublished works. Robin K. Wright, curator of Native American art at the Burke Museum, and Kathryn Bunn-Marcuse, assistant director of the Bill Holm Center, contribute their expertise to this rich exploration of art.