Renowned for his profound talents as both an artist and activist, Beau Dick's biographies and obituaries consistently celebrate him as a compelling "storyteller." This is testament to his compelling presence, which looms large even after his untimely death at 61 in 2017.
Beau himself was larger than life: literally with a tall physical stature and a baritone voice that lilted so enchantingly it was impossible not to be mesmerized when he spoke.
This captivating essence permeated every aspect of Dick's life, including his artmaking. The exceptional quality of Beau Dick's artworks is rooted in his knowledge of and connection with his Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw culture and its aesthetics. The Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw potlatches have consistently been lauded for their theatricality [1]. Historically, masks were essential in ceremonial dances, designed to come alive in the firelight through the dance, capturing the essence of spirits or other living beings. What distinguishes Dick’s masks is their profound ability to capture the drama and animation of the Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw potlatches, even as inanimate objects. With their enhanced realism and emotive power, Dick’s masks not only amplify the originally intended effect of a mask – to embody and animate the being it represents – but also transform and innovate the artistic tradition from which they stem.
This impressive, large mask depicts Ba̱k’wa̱s (Bookwus or the Wild Man of the Woods). Ba̱k’wa̱s appears in both the winter season T’seka (Winter Ceremonial / Red Cedar Bark) and Tła'sala (Cheifs’ or Peace Dance) Ceremonies [2] [3]. The artist has fully harnessed the visceral and palpable energy of these dances, shaping the elements of this almost 3 ft mask with a reverent yet bold hand to create a work that seems to pulse with an eerie vitality. Amidst the diverse array of stylistic expressions found across the Northwest Coast, Dick's mask captures many of archetypal features of Ba̱k’wa̱s with striking clarity. The eyes are carved with pupils that are round and arresting; the hooked, almost skeletal nose mirrors the fierce beak of a predatory bird; the lips, drawn taut, unveil a menacing and toothy grin.
Long, untamed hair frames the mask and both intensifies its feral aspect and acknowledges the hair-covered costumes dancers don when portraying Ba̱k’wa̱s. The extended eyebrow hairs are possibly Dick's own artistic interpretation of the traditional massive slanting eyebrows that are typical in Ba̱k’wa̱s masks. They may also serve as an homage to performances, again referencing the elaborate costumes worn while also invoking Ba̱k’wa̱s's shy disposition, alluding to the gesture of dancers who shield their face with a forearm to portray Ba̱k’wa̱s's timidity.
The skeletal figure affixed atop the mask likely carries a dual significance. Articulated with leather and pins, its macabre form and humanoid skull-knees – which cleverly hinge at the jaws – are reminiscent of other puppet figures crafted by the artist. This may be understood as a reference to Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw tradition of puppetry that is intricately linked to their ceremonies of potlatching and the hosting of feasts. It may also be interpreted as a grim tribute to the souls captured by Ba̱k’wa̱s; those deceived into accepting his treacherous offerings—rotten wood, maggots, snakes, or lizards masquerading as dried salmon. To accept this sinister gift from Ba̱k’wa̱s is to seal one's destiny, morphing the individual into a ghostly figure, eternally bound to Ba̱k’wa̱s.
Surely amongst the most impressive and significant examples of this subject in his oeuvre, the masterful creation of this large Ba̱k’wa̱s Mask is a convergence of artistry and tradition. Its fine symmetry and the intricate carving of the deeply recessed folds and other details that cast haunting shadows, heighten its dramatic impact. Its deep, almost blood-like red hues, accented with black – a signature palette of the artist – create a formidable visual intensity.
1. By way of some sundry examples, see: Philip Drucker, Indians of the Northwest Coast, (New York: McGraw-Hill / American Museum of Natural History, 1955), pp. 148-157; Aldona Jonaitis, ed., Chiefly Feasts: The Enduring Kwakiutl Potlatch, (Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1991); Anne E. Guernsey Allen, “All the World’s a Stage: The Nineteenth Century Kwakwaka'wakw (Kwakiutl) House as Theater,” American Indian Culture and Research Journal, 21:4 (1997), pp. 29-73 and many others.
2. U'mista Cultural Society, Ba̱k’wa̱s (Wild-Man of the Woods), https://umistapotlatch.ca/objets-objects/index-eng.php?nojs=true&object=80.01.013, Accessed 4 May 2024. We highly encourage those interested to watch the video and browse on this website for additional information, including videos and images.
3. Historically, Potlatches, featuring either theT’seka or Tła'sala and lasted weeks or months. Today, they typically span one or two days and commonly include dances from both ceremonies.