JOE DAVID (1946-) NUU-CHAH-NULTH, Eats-Qwin, 1977

Joe David is one of the most influential and innovative Northwest Coast First Nations artists working today. Along with his cousin, Haa'yuups (Ron Hamilton, b. 1948), and multimedia artist Art Thompson (Nuu-chah-nulth/Ditidaht, 1948-2003), David has been a driving force in the revival and preservation of Nuu-chah-nulth art and cultural practices. David grew up in an artistic and culturally active home, pursuing his education and career in art making under the guidance of Bill Holm (1925-2020) and Duane Pasco (1932-2024). David is a master of several different tribal styles from up and down the Northwest Coast and his work can be found in The Metropolitan Museum in New York, the American Museum of Natural History, the UBC Museum of Anthropology (MOA), and the Burke Museum, among others. This image was published on page 120 in the book Northwest Coast Indian Graphics: An Introduction to Silk Screen Prints [1] and impressions of this print can be found in the collections of the Burke Museum (1998-90/101) and the MOA (1355/13; 1602/5; 1602/19).

This print is an earlier piece and features what the MOA describes as “a stylized mouse-like figure that has human-like features in a merman-like form surrounded by an open black rectangular house-box-like shape.” [2] The strong profile of the humanoid face, arched eyebrows, and bold red, black, and blue palette recall 19th century Nuu-chah-nulth portrait masks, which also connects this print to David’s woodwork.

1. Edwin S. Hall, Margaret B. Blackman, and Vincent Rickard. 1981. Northwest Coast Indian Graphics: An Introduction to Silk Screen Prints. Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre, 120.

2. “Eats-Qwin” (1977) by Joe David. UBC Museum of Anthropology Online Collection Database. More Information. http://collection-online.moa.ubc.ca/search/item?keywords=Eats-Qwin&row=0&tab=mor. Accessed September 01, 2024.

Christopher W. Smith

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JOE DAVID (1946-) NUU-CHAH-NULTH

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