Chief Sam Johnson was a prolific artist who spent many years creating masks on Gilford Island, BC, his wife’s home community. The influence of Gilford Island artists on Johnson’s work is readily apparent here, especially that of Jack James (Kwakwaka’wakw, c. 1902-1980). Today, Johnson’s masks can be found in the collections of the UBC Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver, The Glenbow Museum in Calgary, and the Autry Museum in Los Angeles.

This well-carved, unpainted red cedar mask depicts a Dzunukwa, or Giant of the Woods, which can be identified by its sleepy, mostly closed eyes, sunken cheeks, and round, pursed lips. The nose is depicted in a sharply hooked fashion, similar to a Bak’was, and the eyebrows are carved with curled ends, mimicking long hair. Although unpainted, this mask is highly sculptural and features carved forms paired with interesting lines and angles in its construction, particularly around the eyes and cheeks of the Dzunukwa.

—Christopher W. Smith