Native wildlife prints come alive at Burke

[img1]Chosen for their accurate portrayal of land and sea mammal anatomy and behavior, classic Native American screen prints will be on display at the Burke Museum today through August 6.

The exhibit features prints by Northwest Coast and Canadian Woodlands artists.

"The idea is to portray the awareness of artists of the biology and natural history of these mammals," said Jim Kenagy, a biology professor and curator of mammals at the Burke Museum.

Kenagy chose the exhibit's collection of prints from more than 1,500 contemporary northwest art silkscreen prints owned by the Burke.

"As a biologist, I'm enjoying very much the opportunity to portray a story about art," he said.

Many of the prints show animals in their natural state, including a sea otter diving down to the ocean floor to snatch a sea urchin, a bull elk bugling a mating call and the interesting locomotion of a bounding deer with all four legs off the ground, Kenagy said.

Several other prints in the exhibit portray Native American legends, such as how the chipmunk got its stripes and why deer are afraid of wolves.

"[These are] mostly just showing the beauty and natural form and variety of animals -- providing information on what they are," Kenagy said.

[img2]Silk screen printing draws from traditional art styles and has become a major medium for artists to relate their work, said Robin Wright, curator of Native American art at the Burke Museum.

"There are many different tribal styles represented in the collection," she said.

Wright said the screenprinting medium was developed specifically for sale to outsiders and is a way to tell different stories related to family history or mythology.

Screen prints are also given out at potlatch ceremonies, where guests are invited to witness to display of inherited privileges such as the naming of children and marriage, she said.

"Ever since silkscreen prints have been made, they are custom-made for potlatches," she said. "People give [them as] payments to the witnesses, who validate what has happened there."

The theme of wildlife will be featured again at the Burke in an upcoming wildlife photography exhibit beginning June 24.

Reach Daily reporter Sarah Jeglum at: [url='mailto:sarahjeglum@thedaily.washington.edu']sarahjeglum@thedaily.washington.edu[/url]