Penn’s latest student-run exhibition at the Arthur Ross Gallery celebrates the lasting artistic presence of two Native American cultures. Located in Fisher Fine Arts Library, On the Wings of Eagle and Raven: Tlingit and Haida Traditions highlights the rich visual tradition of the Haida and Tlingit tribes of the Pacific Northwest Coast. The exhibit is the final product of the most recent Kaye Curatorial seminar, taught by Dr. Larry Silver, Farquhar Professor in the Department of the History of Art and Dr. Robert St. George, Associate Professor in the Department of History. Over the course of the spring semester, students were involved in curating the exhibit as well as writing its brochure.
On the Wings of Eagle and Raven seeks to tell the story of the attempt of both the Haida and Tlingit to preserve their cultural craftsmanship. European colonization of the Pacific Northwest region threatened the homelands of these Native Americans in the 19th century, as Christian missionaries sought to change the natives’ ways of life. Potlatches – the tribes’ primary gift-giving feast and economic event – were banned, and thus the language and art of the two indigenous groups weakened. Luckily, there has been a resurgence today of Native American artists who assert the tribes’ creative heritage.
The exhibit features 41 cultural and material objects that date from the late 19th century to the present. The highly stylized artifacts reveal the remarkable artistry of the Haida and Tlingit, with objects crafted in wood, shell, hair, pigment, sinew, feather, and spruce root.
The series of totem representations also marks an important aspect of the two tribes’ traditions. The Haida and Tlingit organize their societies into two matrilineal moieties: Ravens or Eagles. Families within each moiety recognize an animal to identify their clan, after which they develop crests on objects such as headdresses, bentwood boxes, and Chilkat blankets. 33 of these artifacts are lent generously from Penn’s Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.
A series of lectures and programs by various university professors, curators, and native artists have already taken place throughout the spring semester. However, it is still possible to appreciate the skill and beauty of these Native American masterpieces this summer. On the Wings of Eagle and Raven will remain in the Arthur Ross Gallery until early July.