The Heard Museum in December, Part 3

Denis and I spent an afternoon at the Heard Museum, soaking in an exhibit, Early Days: Indigenous Art from the McMichael Canadian Art Collection. We barely made it before the exhibit closed, and I would have been so disappointed if we'd missed it. There was so much to see, and I took a couple hundred photographs. (!)

 

This is the third and final post about this wonderful collection of art. Did I show you everything? No, I'm only hitting the highlights, but I do hope that you enjoy my little virtual tour. Let's get started!

 

"Eagle Spirit," 1995. Artist: Simon Dick.

Chief of the Undersea Kingdom Mask, c. 1890-1910. Attributed to Charlie George Sr.

Raven Rattle, c. 1860. Attributed to Albert Edenshaw.

Tsimshian or Nisga'a. Ceremonial Frontlet, before 1850.

Head-on view. I loved how the light caught the abalone shell on frontlet.

"Research Base Camp," 2007. Colored pencil and ink on paper. Artist: Tim Pitslulak.

We're now in another part of the museum housing the regular collections. This is: Painted Gourd, 2004. Artist: Beatrice Maldonado.

Another gallery at the Heard Museum.

Hualapai Cradleboard, c. 1984. Artist: Ramona Mahone. The Hualapai live at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. I wish I could've gotten a shot without the glass reflections!

Again, my apologies for the glass reflections. Some fantastic jewelry! The bolo tie in the middle is Zuni, c. 1969. The artist is Edward Beyuka.

My overall favorite piece of art in the Heard is this art fence called "Indigenous Evolution" made in 2004 made by Tony Jojola, and Islete and Rosemary Lonewolf. It always draws a crowd.

Artwork on the wall where we waited for Dial-a-Ride to pick us up. It was a gorgeous day-- perfect for basking in the sun like lizards!

I hope you enjoyed the tour. The Heard Museum is one of the places Denis and I love to take visitors. It's fantastic!

The Heard Museum in December, Part 2

Here's part two of the visit Denis and I made to the Heard Museum to experience their exhibit called "Early Days: Indigenous Art from the McMichael Canadian Art Collection." The exhibit closed on January 2, so Denis and I barely made it. I'm so glad we did!

At times, I was surrounded by a herd of people that wouldn't let me take some of the photos I wanted. I only have so much patience, and it ran out a couple of times. Unfortunately, I did not get the name of this painting or that of the artist's, but I find it so striking! (I couldn't enlarge the photo enough to decipher the text by the art.)

"Misshipeshoo-- Earth Monster," 1969. Tempura on paper. Artist: Norval Morrisseau.

Cree. Canada Goose Decoys. Spruce Wood.

Left: "Self-Portrait," 1975. Acrylic on hardboard. Artist: Norval Morrisseau. Right: "Artist's Wife and Daughter," 1975. Acrylic on hardboard. Artist: Norval Morrisseau. These remind me so much of Mayan art.

Bottom: Hamat'sa Crooked Beak Mask, 2005. Middle: Hamat'sa Raven, 2004. Top: Hamat'sa Raven--Hok-Hok, 2004. Artist: Henry Speck Jr.

Closeup

"Legend of the Golden Spruce Button Blanket," 1997. Wool melton, various buttons (plastic, abalone, mother-of-pearl, copper, shells), various beads (metal, glass, plastic), sinew, threads. Artist: Hazel Wilson.

Button blanket closeup

Button blanket closeup

Transformation Mask, 2002. Red cedar, cedar bark, horsehair, abalone, paint, metal hinges, strings. Artist: Art Thompson.

Didn't get the particulars on this one, either, but that face has quite the personality!

Mask Representing Elderly Woman, c. 1870. Artist: Simeon Stilthda.

This concludes the second part of our virtual tour. I hope you're enjoying it because the third and final part will arrive next Wednesday!

December 2023 at the Heard Museum

Denis and I have been wanting to see this new exhibition at the Heard Museum since it opened in September. Finally, all the stars aligned so we could get there, and it was worth the wait. Join me on a little tour!

 Early Days: Indigenous Art from the McMichael Canadian Art Collection

Ojibwa bandolier bag from Lake of the Woods, c. 1900. Beadwork on fabric.

Denis was enjoying himself, too.

"Wedding at Sodom," 2017. Acrylic on canvas. Artist: Kent Monkman.

"Girl with Dreams," 1983. Oil on canvas. Artist: Arthur Shilling.

"The Bureaucratic Supremist," 1975. Acrylic on canvas. Artist: Alex Janvier.

"Bear Feeding," 1975. Acrylic on canvas. Artist: Blake Debassige.

Gallery view.

"COVID-19 Mask No. 8," 2020. Glass beads, mask, thread, backing. Artist: Ruth Cuthand. When COVID-19 made landfall in Canada, Cuthand reflected on historic epidemics that devastated indigenous communities. This mask is an acknowledgment of those historic losses and of the inequities in health care that persist in Indigenous communities today.

Top: Great Lakes First Nation Wampum belt, c. 1770. Bottom: Sash, c. 1770-80.

Wampum belt closeup. Tubular white whelk-shell beads and purple quahog clamshell beads, woven in seven rows on a warp of red ochre-stained leather thongs.

Fox Tail Moccasins, 2016. Found shoes, Arctic fox tails and fur, capacitors, light-emitting diodes, resistors, glass beads, porcupine quills, rooster feathers, dyed split feathers, tin cones, white heart trade beads, plastic pony beads, satin edge bias, mother-of-pearl buttons, synthetic porcupine hair, cotton thread, rope, metal, wooden shoe lasts. Artist: Barry Ace.

 

The tour must come to an end, but we've barely scratched the surface. Join me next Wednesday when I share more photos of the exhibit!