Introduction
Most paintings, carvings or sculptures were created to
depict the cultural context of the times when they were developed. The paper
explores two works of art that are displayed at the Museum of Anthropology, UBC
and discusses how they relate to the theme of art, power, and politics. The
chosen artworks include the “Totem Pole” by Mungo Martin, which was made in
1902 and “The Raven and the First Men” sculpture by Bill Reid that was unveiled
in 1980. A comparative analysis of the two pieces of art shows that both works
were created as a continuation and renewal of pole construction that first
appeared in the eighteenth century. Martin’s totem pole and Reid’s sculpture are some
of the outstanding works of art that relate well to the theme of art, power,
and politics.
Visual Analysis of the Artworks
“Totem Pole” by Mungo Martin
Source: Museum of Anthropology Website
Martin was a Kwakwaka’wakw
artist who created a tall and carved wood pole with several pieces attached to
each other. The pole has crest figures from the bottom to the top. For example,
at the bottom, there is Yakantakw (a man) then followed by a gala (bear),
biting a copper; T’lix’an (lion of the sea) with birds and Gwa’wina (Raven) at
the top. The surface of the cedar wood pole is painted in white, black, green
and red.[1]
Generally, totem poles were erected by clans and families as a declaration of
their history. Martin’s pole has a raven, which is a seabird that represents
the cultural history of the Kwakwaka’wakw’s tribe.
“The Raven and the First Men” Sculpture by
Bill Reid
Source: Museum of Anthropology
Website
Bill Reid created a massive sculpture based on the famous
legend of the Haida people known as “The Raven and the First Men.” In this
sculpture, there is a raven standing at the top of a clamshell where six naked
humans are struggling to get out. As the Haida story goes, the Raven discovered
a huge clamshell near the beach at Rose Spit where the first people of the
Haida tribe emerged.[2] The
Raven is huge with the wings curved in such a way that they touched the
clamshell. The giant clamshell is partially opened where the naked men are seen
struggling to move out.
The Artworks in Different Contexts
Mungo Martin
developed the totem pole in the early twentieth century when there was a
decline in pole construction. In the late 1890s, there was the assimilation between
the American and Canadian cultures. This led to the abandonment of some
cultural practices for both countries. At that time, the Christian missionaries
viewed poles as objects of pagan worship and urged people to destroy them. Martin’s
totem pole was constructed at a time when the nation was recovering from the
collapse of trade. The sculpture serves as a monument of the rejuvenation of
the Kwakwaka’wakw’s culture, socio-economic status, and religious
beliefs.
Bill Reid’s sculpture, on the other hand, was created in
the second half of the 20th century as artists renewed the First
Nations artistic styles. From 1950, there was a cultural, artistic, and
linguistic revival of the traditions of the First Nations art. Scholars and
artists felt that the renewal and connection of the First Nations art and contemporary
art were necessary to preserve their cultural heritage. Reid’s culture was a
perfect link of the ancient Haida people’s culture and contemporary art.[3]
This is because he told the Haida story of the “Raven and the First Men” by
creating a sculpture that captures every aspect of that legend.
Relating the Artworks to the Theme of Art,
Power, and Politics
Some
poles were put up to celebrate the cultural beliefs of a dominant family or tribe.
For example, Martin’s pole was a symbol of strength and power to the
Kwakwaka’wakw people who were opposing the Christian beliefs. Furthermore, the
pole depicts the politics of the time when Canada and America were urged to
join the Euro-American assimilation and enculturation. Most poles were
construction as a way of celebrating the wealth accumulated in lavish
potlatches among the coastal residents.[4]
The relationship of Reid’s sculpture
with the theme of power and politics dwells much on its symbolic meaning. The
artwork was created based on the Haida legend of the raven and the first humans
of the Haida people.[5]
The story depicts the Raven as a strong and powerful mythical bird that ruled
the land before the Haida humans came into existence. The struggling men below
the partially opened clamshell represent the weak position of humans to the
mythical beings of that time.
Conclusion
Based on the discussion, it is clear that both artworks
were created by contemporary artists who sought to depict the cultural,
political, and social environments of their times. Martin’s totem pole and
Reid’s sculpture are monumental pieces of art that relate well to the theme of
art, power, and politics. The discussion has demonstrated that the totem pole’s
cultural context was ceremonial while the sculpture was a piece of contemporary
art. The visual analysis of artworks shows that both of them have used natural
forms of animals such as the raven, bear, and humans.
Word Count-976
Bibliographies
Griffin, Kevin. “Canada 150: Bill Reid made Haida art
recognizable across the country” Vancouver
Sun. Retrieved from: http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/canada-150/canada-150-bill-reid-made-haida-art-recognizable-across-the-country
on March 9, 2018.
MacDonald, George. Haida
Monumental Art: Villages of the Queen Charlotte Islands. Vancouver: UBC
Press, 2013.
Museum of Anthropology (MOA) “The Raven and the First Men” MOA. Obtained from: http://collection-online.moa.ubc.ca/search/item?keywords=The+Raven+and+the+First+Men&row=6&tab=more
on March 9, 2018.
Museum of Anthropology (MOA). Background Information: First Nations of British Columbia. Retrieved
from: http://moa.ubc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/SchoolProgram-BackgroundInfo.pdf
on March 9, 2018.
Museum of Anthropology. “Totem Pole” MOA. Retrieved from: http://collection-online.moa.ubc.ca/search/item?keywords=Totem+Pole+by+Martin+Mungo&row=1&tab=more
on March 9, 2018.
[1] Museum
of Anthropology. “Totem Pole” MOA. Retrieved from: http://collection-online.moa.ubc.ca/search/item?keywords=Totem+Pole+by+Martin+Mungo&row=1&tab=more
on March 9, 2018.
[2]
Griffin, Kevin. “Canada 150: Bill Reid made Haida art recognizable across the
country” Vancouver Sun. Retrieved
from: http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/canada-150/canada-150-bill-reid-made-haida-art-recognizable-across-the-country
on March 9, 2018.
[3]
Museum of Anthropology (MOA). Background
Information: First Nations of British Columbia. Retrieved from: http://moa.ubc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/SchoolProgram-BackgroundInfo.pdf
on March 9, 2018.
[4] MacDonald,
George. Haida Monumental Art: Villages of
the Queen Charlotte Islands. Vancouver: UBC Press, 2013.
[5] Museum
of Anthropology (MOA) “The Raven and the First Men” MOA. Obtained from:
http://collection-online.moa.ubc.ca/search/item?keywords=The+Raven+and+the+First+Men&row=6&tab=more
on March 9, 2018.
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