Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Yua, Spirit of the Arctic at the de Young

Thomas Fowler's travel journal, on view in the galleries

Now is your chance to experience art from the far north first hand. The de Young recently opened a permanent installation in the Art of the Americas galleries titled Yua, Spirit of the Arctic: Eskimo and Inuit Art from the Collection of Thomas G. Fowler. The collection is an excellent addition to the de Young’s West Coast Native American holdings.

Yua, Spirit of the Arctic showcases eighty masterworks, ranging in date from ancient to contemporary periods. On view are carvings, masks, sculptures, and containers made from materials including whale bone, walrus tusk, driftwood and soapstone.  

The collection was a gift to the museum from the estate of the late Thomas G. Fowler, a multitalented artist, designer, collector, and businessman. A special piece in the collection is Mr. Fowler’s red leather-bound travel journal. The pages are filled with his neat penmanship and delicate sketches. His journal adds a personal touch to the collection; I was able to get a better understanding for his passion after seeing how meticulously he documented his findings. The book is displayed opened to an entry from February 6, 1999; it describes a Box Decoration with Seals ca. 1880. On the opposite page, Fowler sketched the piece in actual size and it is included in the installation.

My personal favorites are the collection of snow goggles from 19th century Alaska. I think that the goggles have a modern look to them. They are made of wood, pigment and string varying slightly by design while holding true to the small size and slits for eyes... [more]

Posted by: Cheryl McCain | September 9 at 12:18:06 PM
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