The Life of Meares Island
Date1985
Label TextJoe David was born in the Tla-o-qu-aht village of Meares Island on the west coast of Vancouver Island. This image beautifully synthesizes the natural and spiritual beauty of his homeland, a mountainous island protected by the mythic Thunderbird, Wolf, Lightning Serpent, and Whale. In 1993, in one of the largest acts of civil disobedience in Canada, hundreds of First Nations and other supporters blockaded efforts to clear-cut the island’s old-growth cedar forests. One of the protestors, David created prints and a monumental carved Cedar Man figure, brought to Victoria’s parliament building, to raise awareness and funds for the cause.
Object number2018.29.17
Provenance[Pacific Editions Limited, Victoria, British Columbia]; purchased from gallery by Bruce and Mary-Louise Colwell, Seattle, Washington, Mar. 10, 2000; to Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, Washington, 2018
Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, INKED! Northwest Coast Silkscreen Prints from the Colwell Collection, Mar. 5 - Dec. 12, 2021.Credit LineGift of R. Bruce and Mary-Louise Colwell
Dimensions20 x 26 in. (50.8 x 66 cm)
MediumSilkscreen
Object number: 2014.8.1
Object number: 2009.5.17
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