35. Raven and His Family Mask
Availability: Only 1 available
by Ben Davidson
Cast Forton, Aluminum paint, simulated “Gun Metal” patina finish
Limited Edition of 9
20 x 20 x 12″
Price available on request
- Description
- Additional Information
- Artist Bio
Cast Forton, Aluminum paint, simulated “Gun Metal” patina finish
Limited Edition of 9
20 x 20 x 12″
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Bukwus Mask
David Neel
CA$6,500.00Red Cedar wood, Cedar bark, Horse hair, Acrylic paint
21 x 13.5 x 9″
30 x 15 x 9″ (including hair)Bukwus, also known as the Wild Man of the Woods, is an eerie supernatural creature from the Kwakwaka’wakw Nation. This figure can be found lurking at the edge of a stream or in the shadows of the forest, always in search of souls that he can steal for himself. The souls that are caught by the Bukwus can be seen hovering near him, and are eternally condemned to misery, hunger, wandering, and evilness.
In his new book, The Way Home: David Neel, David features the full story of how the Bukwus figure came to be. As the story goes, there was once a group of villagers who went fishing for salmon together every fall. One man wanted to become a strong warrior, and would walk a great distance from their fishing camp each morning to bathe in the freezing mountain stream and purify himself. However, one morning, the man could not find his way back to the camp. No matter what he tried, he would always end up back at the mountain stream. His friends from the camp eventually went searching for him, but they were unable to find their friend.
Upon the group’s return to the fishing camp the following year, the man was spotted by two of the women while they were canoeing. They quickly ran back to the camp to tell the others, who went out the next day to search for him. To their shock, when they found their friend, they realized that he had become a Wildman. Although they tried to catch him, he jumped far above their heads and escaped back into the woods. After coming up with a plan, they returned the next day and managed to capture the man, though it took a dozen men to hold him down and bind him. With the help of a shaman, they were eventually able to tame their lost friend, and he returned to his life as a villager. Still, he remained stronger and faster than any other man, becoming a great warrior for his people.
David Neel’s Bukwus Mask exemplifies several of the distinct features traditionally used to depict this Wild Man of the Woods. The mask is given a shadowy, human-like form, emphasizes the attributes of the human skull. It is painted in dark colour tones that are commonly associated with the forest, and features deeply sunken eyes, a strong protruding brow, hollowed cheeks, and a hooked nose. During ceremonies, the firelight casts dark shadows across these features, creating ominous shadows that accentuate this creature’s dark nature.
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Tsimshian Moon Mask
Philip Gray
SOLDRed Cedar Wood, Acrylic Paint
SOLD – For artist commission inquiries, please contact us at info@coastalpeoples.com
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Riiibbit (AP)
Ben Davidson
Price upon requestSerigraph, Artist Proof
2017
Unframed
(For inquiries on custom framing, please contact the gallery)
Why an Artist Proof?
The artist proof is often the first proof or set of proofs that the artist “pulls” to ensure that the image is printing to the desired effect. The Artist Proof holds a higher value than a regular edition piece due to its rarity as well as the possibility that they can contain the visual evidence of the artist’s progress. Artist Proofs are typically owned and kept by the artist so they are rarely released.
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Llgaay Gwii Sdiihlda (Restore Balance)
Ben Davidson
Price upon requestSerigraph, Edition of 81
2020
Unframed
(For inquiries on custom framing, please contact the gallery)
“Llgaay Gwii Sdiihlda means to restore balance. According to my father-in-law, it applies when we are about to fall, but we manage to catch ourselves before we fall. I chose to name the print Llgaay Gwii Sdiihlda because I believe that even when we are in a state of uncertainty, we still have the ability to regain our balance.
The print features an image of Sea Bear. Though there is not much information about him, I think of him as a protector of the ocean, which is symbolized by the blue. In Sea Bear’s mind, we can see the importance of finding balance in our lives. Sea Bear’s companion, Sea Ghost, can also be seen faintly in the waves in the background of this print. Sea Ghost represents our connections to our parents and our ancestors. In order to continue our journey forward, we must listen for the echoes of our ancestors who will help us restore balance in our lives.” – Ben Davidson, 2020
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Echo (SP)
Ben Davidson
Price upon requestSerigraph, State Proof I
2018
Unframed
(For inquiries on custom framing, please contact the gallery)
“My father’s understanding of Greatest Echo, is that this supernatural being has the ability to echo the past and bring it into the future. We dance the Greatest Echo masks to remind ourselves of our responsibility to learn the knowledge of the previous generations and to make that knowledge meaningful in our daily lives.
Yellow is echoed in each of these [designs]. It represents the knowledge of our ancestors. Our knowledge was strong before contact. It was passed from generation to generation without threat. Attempts to assimilate us and erase our identities through colonization resulted in our knowledge being muted; this was a dark period in our history. However, despite this, we continued to pass on our knowledge to our children.
Today, our connection to this ancient knowledge is emerging once again. We must continue to move forward, but, as my tsinii told my father, ‘You have to look back once and a while to see where you came from, so you can always find your way back.’”
– Ben Davidson, 2018