Robert Davidson: Native American Contemporary

 

 

 

This week is about another of Chief Edenshaw's gifted great grandsons, Robert Davidson (1946-), who is a carver, painter, and printer. 

 

 

Davidson's Haida name is:G̲uud San Glans, which means "Eagle of the Dawn." He is a descendant of  the eagle clan and the eagle features prominently in his works. He is recognized as the leading figure in the renaissance of Haida art and culture.

 

 

As with so many times in art history, the renaissance is not a re-creation of what was, but rather a combining with what was with a modern twist. Davidson's works are often representative of that combination. While he can and does build traditional totems and other older Haida styles, he also creates paintings, prints and jewelry in a stripped down, modern version of the ancient stories.

 

 

 

 We tend to think of Native American art as being of a fixed historic time. That's usually what people want to buy. However, when you consider that Davidson's exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum was titled, "Abstract Impulse," it does speak to the diversity of Native American art.

 

Here are samplings of  his stylized eagle representation. What are your thoughts on this contemporary approach?