Urban Thunderbirds: Ravens in a Material World

2014 | Art, Photography & Fashion

This book explores the work of four First Nation artists, and they are changing perceptions of First Nations art and artistic culture. Four First Nations artists are featured in this original publication highlighting paintings, prints, photography and mixed media. Included are lessLIE, a Coast Salish artist from Duncan; Dylan Thomas, also Coast Salish, from Victoria; and Rande Cook and Francis Dick, both members of the Kwakwaka'wakw Nation and both born in Alert Bay. Their work encompasses personal stories, community histories and exploration of current events offering a unique view of First Nations art production. Varied in their approaches, the artists reference cross-cultural forms, re-appropriation of North American visual culture, and an honouring of individuals and ideas from the cultural history of the Coast Salish and Kwakwaka'wakw communities.

Using traditional skills and imagery along with concepts and practices familiar in the broader contemporary art culture, these artists explore, challenge and redefine standard expectations surrounding First Nations art practice, producing politically powerful works that raise important questions about the shifting role of traditional assumptions and values in our modern world.

Nicola Levell (Author)

Nicole Stanbridge (Author)