Edition /105
Available framed for $1,100 CAD. Please contact the gallery directly.
Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals that are related to crest symbols. Crests have been passed down through families and have varying meanings depending on the context and association with a nation, clan, or family. The figures depicted in contemporary Northwest Coast Indigenous artwork also have varying meanings but there are some common characteristics from a range of sources, including oral histories and artist descriptions.
Eagle is one of the most important beings in the art and mythology of the Northwest Coast. It is respected for its intelligence and power, as well as its extraordinary vision, in both the literal and figurative senses. Eagles in myth are, likewise, usually noble characters. Eagle is revered as a powerful hunter. Groups of mythical Eagles may gather for co-operative whale hunting expeditions, since, unlike the giant Thunderbird, Eagle is not strong enough to hunt whales alone. Eagle may often be depicted with Salmon, one of its favourite foods, with a hooked beak and small ears.
Salmon is fundamental to all coastal peoples, and is a symbol of regeneration, health and life. Many myths tell of people taken to the undersea world of the Salmon and return with secret knowledge and powers. Salmon have always been viewed as the life force for Indigenous communities. Salmon is often represented by scales, small fins and striated tail fin.
