Indian art an outstanding creation of mankind
Saturday, 12 December 2009 05:00
December 12, 1928. Canada's West Coast Indian art is said to "stand among the outstanding creations of mankind in the sphere of plastic or decorative art," asserts this article in the Toronto Globe.
When industrial leaders are seeking something purely Canadian in design, they should not miss consideration of the art of the West Coast Indians, such as is now on display at the Toronto Art Gallery. Here was a native race with advanced ideas on form and decoration, and revealing in many of its productions a grim humor and sense of the grotesque.
The outside world is familiar with the totem pole, the emblem of heraldry of these original red men, and museum workers and other seekers for curious have sadly raided the Coast villages for specimens. The use of the totem pole became a popular feature of the musical play "Rose Marie," and is familiar in numerous motion pictures. Mr. Marius Barbeau of the National Museum, Ottawa, who has made an intimate study of the West Coast Native art, says, "Their style was smooth, elaborate and refined. Their most accomplished artists have left works of art that stand among the outstanding creations of mankind in the sphere of plastic or decorative beauty."
The innate feeling for creative decoration shown by these Indians is one of the mysteries of primitive art. The Director of the National Gallery of Canada, Mr. Eric Brown, says the Indian's sense of creative design and high craftsmanship was "at its best as deeply rooted in his national consciousness as ever has been our sense of traditional art, and in his weapons, architecture, ornaments and utensils produced from the materials to his hand we can see how ably and effectively he has held to them as long as his national consciousness and independence remained."
Trade and commerce of the white man have changed the Indian, and apparently driven from him the desire for self-expression revealed in the totem poles, masks, slate carvings, robes and rugs now so cherished. Perhaps the white leaders of today can do something to perpetuate the Indian's art, even though done by "mass production."