Na-Was
Date8-93
Maker
Tim Paul
First Nations, Nuu-chah-nulth, Hesquiat, born 1950
Label TextThe term Na-Was describes the action of birds gathering on a tree branch, making reference to the Nuu-chah-nulth people gathering to share their cultural teachings. The raven (on the right) wakes all of the world’s beings to the beauty of sunrise and the importance of being productive. The smaller dark bird is a wren, and the blue-hued birds are based on a remembrance of birds from Paul’s childhood. The message here: birds are teachers, and we should pay attention to them.
Object number2018.29.103
Provenance[Pacific Editions Limited, Victoria, British Columbia]; purchased by Bruce and Mary-Louise Colwell, Seattle, Washington, Mar. 11, 2002
Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Avian Avatars: Birds in Northwest Coast Prints from the Colwell Collection, Dec. 15, 2021 - June 12, 2022.Credit LineGift of R. Bruce and Mary-Louise Colwell
DimensionsSheet: 19 1/4 x 18 1/2 in. (48.9 x 47 cm)
image diameter: 14 5/8 in. (37.1 cm)
MediumSilkscreen on Stonehenge cover White (rag)
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