On June 12, 150 people gathered at the beloved San Juan Island Museum of Art (SJIMA) to celebrate the opening of “Shapeshifters—Northwest Coast Indigenous Art,” an exhibition detailing four key artistic styles of Indigenous peoples living along the Northwest coast. The large group of attendees included several internationally celebrated artists who are included in the exhibition, alongside locals and museum supporters eager to learn more about Indigenous art through the exhibition. Guest curator Lee Brooks, a local gallerist, centers the exhibition around the story of Raven, a popular figure in Northwest coast art. Brooks stated that Raven was selected to be a focal point of the exhibition because “He transforms to meet life’s challenges and shapeshifts to create new solutions for today’s dilemmas.” The resulting exhibition both delights and educates visitors by bringing together important artists employing four different styles in an effort to educate and connect.
SJIMA is located about six blocks from the ferry terminal in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. The museum has exhibited work by Indigenous artists previously and most of its permanent collection is work by Indigenous artists, but this exhibition has a different geographical focus than those previously hosted by the museum. In a conversation soon after the exhibit opened, Assistant
Director Wendy Smith relayed that “Shapeshifters” has had an incredible impact on members of the local community who are eager to learn more and support the artists included in the show. “Shapeshifters” includes over fifty artworks, eighteen of which come from the museum’s permanent collection, by some of the most renowned Northwest Coast artists. The list includes Susan Point, Dan Friday, Rande Cook, Greg Colfax, and many others.
One impressive element of this exhibition is the scale. Not only the number of artworks, but also the geographic range and size of the artwork. Upon entering the gallery, visitors see a large red cedar sculpture with copper and acrylic paint by Tom Hunt. Titled “Sun,” the sculpture includes a face with seven wooden rays extending outward. Hunt (Kwakwaka’wakw) was born in Victoria, B.C. and trained or apprenticed with many family members, including his father, uncle, and grandfather—certainly maintaining a tradition of familial artistic legacy. Similarly, Susan Point (Musqueam) speaks about learning her art form from her family members as well, and the exhibition includes her beautiful serigraph, “Symphony of Butterflies.” Point is also from British Columbia and has been an influential figure in the Coast Salish artistic community.
As mentioned, this exhibition explores four artistic styles that are represented in different areas of the Northwest coast region. Moving further south from where Hunt and Point learned their style and methods, “Shapeshifters” brings the work of Greg Colfax, a Makah artist who grew up in Neah Bay, Washington State. Colfax’s red cedar “Canoe Mask” is one of several masks included in the
exhibition. Colfax is well known for both his large scale and smaller carvings, in addition to conserving older artwork carved by other artists. The red cedar face of “Canoe Mask” is highlighted with cedar bark around the edges to represent hair, and the mouth of the figure is open to evoke action and agency.
The exhibition includes a wide range of materials amongst the many artworks. This article has already mentioned wood carvings and serigraphs, but it is also important to note Dan Friday (Lummi) and his blown glass “Sxwo’le Reefnet Anchor.” Bringing all of these methods, materials, and styles together underscores the fact that Indigenous art includes dynamic conversations on important social issues, observations about environmental concerns, and can include a discussion about traditional styles and contemporary methods.
Throughout the summer, the museum hosts artist talks to further explore the artwork, themes, and messages involved in the exhibition. More information about these events is posted on the museum’s website. The artwork is on display until September 15, so there is plenty of time for visitors to see the show and explore all the beauty that San Juan Island has to offer. If you have never visited the island, it is a ferry ride away from Anacortes, Washington. Since the ferry landing is located in the town, it may not be necessary to bring a vehicle. Summer is the perfect time to enjoy the beauty of the Puget Sound with a ferry ride to Friday Harbor in order to visit this exhibition.
Chloé Dye Sherpe
Chloé Dye Sherpe is an art professional and curator based in Washington State.
“Shapeshifters” exhibition is on view through September 15 at the San Juan Islands Museum of Art, located at 540 Spring Street in Friday Harbor, Washington. Museum hours are Friday through Monday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.sjima.org.
