The Convergence of Intangible and Material Wealth

My thesis explores traditional Northwest Coast cultural objects as a vehicle for contemporary narratives. I researched the premise that the narratives in contemporary Northwest Coast Aboriginal art are derived from the convergence of formalism and culturally specific visual language. Formalism in Northwest coast art began in the late 1950s. In 1951 the potlatch ban, which made it illegal for Aboriginal’s to create or use cultural items in a traditional way, was lifted. I argue that the lifting of the ban allows for the challenging of formalist principles in Northwest Coast art. I situate my own practice as part of this legacy. I argue the convergence of formalism and the re-emergence of cultural teachings led to the formation of an approach to art practice I am calling Northwest Coast bilateralism. The artist creates and distinguishes between artworks for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal audiences, the artworks may be aesthetically identical, but their context and use are very different. Northwest Coast bilateralism defines and is defined by this dual history of art production. It is what allows the contemporary Aboriginal artist to pull references from outside the traditional culture while still maintaining the aesthetics of traditional Northwest Coast Aboriginal art. The implication of bilateralism in contemporary Northwest Coast art is that it must always be interpreted according to two different systems of meaning and value. This thesis is a narrative account of my process of interpreting these theories.