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PHOTO COURTESY OF WSHM

HAWAIIAN STYLE. For the first time, this year’s “In The Spirit” Native art exhibit includes indigenous Hawaiian art. Benjamine Heloca’s “Ke Ali’l,” made of Koa wood and shark’s teeth, was selected by the jury to win second place.

Traditional and contemporary Native American art showcased in annual exhibit

By Matt Nagle

The Washington State History Museum (WSHM) was filled with the inspiring sounds of drumming and singing June 19, as the Puyallup Canoe Family Singers provided a welcoming celebration for the opening of the third annual “In The Spirit: Contemporary Northwest Native Arts Exhibit.” A large crowd filled the museum’s Grand Lobby in rapt attention to the thunderous booms of the drums beating a rhythm that seemed to touch something deep and joyful inside the people gathered there.

Blending time-honored traditions with innovative, modern techniques in Native American art, the juried exhibit includes works from 29 artists from various tribes in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. It represents a stunning collection of artworks – masks, drums, prints, photographs, baskets, glass art, jewelry, ceremonial regalia and even a pair of beautifully beaded Converse athletic shoes.

The opening festivities were just the beginning of what is planned to honor this cultural event. On June 28 and 29, the Northwest Native Arts Market and Festival will feature products from some of the best Northwest carvers, printmakers, weavers, bead artists and other artisans. Visitors can also experience indigenous cultures by sampling Native foods and taking in live performances by dancers, musicians and storytellers from local tribes. Outdoor festivities are free, and regular admission rates will apply for entry into the museum.

“In The Spirit: Contemporary Northwest Native Arts Exhibit” is organized through a partnership between the museum and the Longhouse Education and Cultural Center at Evergreen State College.

AWARDING THE BEST

Several awards were announced on opening night for four outstanding pieces chosen by a panel of four judges: Lynette Miller, WSHM Head of Collections; Warm Springs ceramic and glass artist Lillian Pitt, who won best in show last year; Laura Evans, on faculty at Evergreen State College; and Paul Nicholson, printmaker and co-owner of Legacy Gallery in Seattle.

“We didn’t have an easy job,” Miller told the audience. She said that this year there were more pieces submitted by Alaskan Natives than in the past, and this year marks the first time Native Hawaiians submitted artworks.

Best in Show went to “Angel” by Jerry Laktonen from the Alaskan Aleautiqq Tribe; second place went to “Ke Ali’l,” made from Koa wood and shark’s teeth by Benjamine Heloca, a native Hawaiian; and third place went to “Night Gallery Ceremonial Flat Bag” by Roger Amerman, Choctaw, made from vintage Czech and Italian seeds and pony beads, Pendleton wool cloth and smoked deerskin.

The etched glass “Salmon Season” by Peter Boome, Upper Skagit, won the Washington State Historical Society Purchase Prize and will be added to the museum’s permanent collection.

Three additional awards will be given at 3 p.m. the day the festival closes, June 29, two of which will be for new categories added this year to give participating artists an opportunity to recognize the work of their peers. Winners of “Honoring our Ancestors” and “Honoring Innovation” will be determined through votes cast by all the artists showing in the exhibit. Visitors to the exhibit can have their voices heard as well by picking the winner of the “People’s Choice” award. Votes can be placed inside a ballot box set up near the exhibit entrance.

MARKET & FESTIVAL

The free outdoor Northwest Native Arts Market and Festival will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 28 and noon-5 p.m. June 29. Always a hit with visitors of all ages, it offers the opportunity to deepen one’s knowledge and understanding of Native art forms of the Northwest.

Inside the museum on June 28, a collector’s seminar, “Understanding Northwest Native Art,” will be underway from 2-4 p.m. Tina Kuckkahn, Ojibwe, director of the Longhouse Education and Cultural Center at Evergreen State College, will facilitate.

Roger Fernandes, Lower Elwha Klallam, who works in a variety of art media, will discuss Coast and Puget Salish arts and cultures. Ann McCormack, Nez Perce, representing the Nez Perce Arts Council, will present on the arts and cultures of the Northwest Plateau tribes. Melissa Bob, Lummi, will present some of her work as a young, contemporary Salish artist. And Jack Curtright, owner of Curtright and Son in Tacoma, will share what to look for in the field of collecting historic tribal art.

Advance tickets to the seminar are $35 for museum members and $40 for non-members, and $45 at the door. To purchase, call (253) 798-5894.

Visitors to the festival will also have the opportunity to get tribal artworks appraised. Following the curator’s seminar, Curtright will be conducting historic tribal art appraisals on a first come, first served basis. Appraisal cost is $5 per item.

Also on June 28, a special screening of the docu-drama “Shadow of the Salmon” will be held at 5 p.m. The film tells the story of a young man from the Lakota Nation who visits the Pacific Northwest and learns much about salmon and the relationship between the tribes and the environment. Tickets are $3, or free with museum admission.

For more information, visit www.wshs.org/arts-festival/ or www.Evergreen.edu/longhouse. The exhibit will remain on display until July 20.

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