Sah Sin
Date1979
Maker
Arthur Thompson (Tsa Qwa Supp)
First Nations, Nuu-chah-nulth, Ditidaht, 1948 - 2003
Label TextEven though many types of birds hold high positions in First Nations identity—as crests, wealth-bringers, protectors, and spirit guides—sometimes artists only want to reflect on the pure delight of living side-by-side with avian species. Sah Sin is the Nuu-chah-nulth term for hummingbird, and this print originates in a pleasant childhood memory of observing a hummingbird dance at a potlatch in Ahousat, Canada. The head of the red flower takes on the shape of the Lightning Snake, an important supernatural being associated with Thunderbird.
Object number2018.29.150
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
Dimensions26 x 20 in. (66 x 50.8 cm)
MediumSilkscreen
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