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The Spirit of Haida Gwaii Bill Reid's Masterpiece Ulli Steltzer The Spirit of Haida Gwaii is one of the great sculptural masterpieces of our time. It was created by artist Bill Reid, who has spent his life helping to resurrect the artistic traditions of his Haida forebears while honoring the European art tradition and techniques in which he was trained. Full-size versions of the sculpture are on display at the Canadian embassy in Washington, DC; the new Vancouver International Airport; and the Canadian Museum of Civilization. The Spirit of Haida Gwaii is a canoe eighteen feet long, filled to overflowing with the creatures of Haida mythology--Raven, Eagle, Grizzly and his human wife, Mouse Woman, and Dogfish Woman. At its center stands a human being holding an ancient staff in which the story of creation is told. Ulli Steltzer's superb photographs record the five-year period of the genesis and development of the sculpture. Robin Laurence briefly relates the story of the sculpture and the biography of the artist. Bill Reid describes the creatures in the canoe, providing glimpses into the mythic complexity and power of The Spirit of Haida Gwaii. U.S. rights only |
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