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Artist / Maker : |
Sebastian, Robert E.; Gwin-Jakwsxw
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Title : |
Mallard and Salmon
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Date (Execution) : |
2009
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Geographical Origin : |
Gitanmaax (Hazelton); British Columbia; Canada
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Cultural Group : |
Gitxsan,
Wet'suwet'en
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Style / Period : |
Contemporary 1950 -
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Medium / Material : |
Serigraph
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Support / Technique : |
paper
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Object Type : |
screen prints
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Visual Description :
First Nations formline design of black bird in centre mid-flight surrounded by 5 red fish jumping out of multicoloured water against a blue sky.
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Accession # : |
U014.3.562
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Width (cm) : |
25.00
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Height (cm) : |
38.00
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Depth (cm) : |
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Mandatory Credit : |
Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
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Artist Statement :
"A mallard duck was swimming in a lake that steel-head salmon migrated through to the spawning grounds. He would be so happy when hundreds of salmon made their way back from the ocean and would be spawning. In these olden days the two species would talk to each other, just like you talk to me! The salmon told of their long journey of hundreds of miles, and how they were happy to make it back to spawn. The fish teased the mallard that soon the mallard's young would have baby salmon fry to eat, and those fry that escaped the young mallards would make this awesome journey too. The fish told the mallard, 'We will brood fast swimming fry to escape your children (the young mallard's), so if your kids are not fast they will go without fish in their diets!'
The mallard said to himself, 'I must teach my young ones to dive deep and swim fast, and I will trick the small salmon.' The animals and birds still talk to one another, but we have lost our ears to listen!" - Robert Sebastian
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