Title: Modern Mask
Artist: James Schoppert
Year: 1992
Medium: Painted wood sculpture
Dimensions: Circumference: 8' x height: 3'
Description of the artwork
“In order for a culture to survive it must maintain its unique identity yet continue to evolve to meet the needs of the day. This group of mask depictions addresses this notion. The masks are fragmented — disarranged much as the native cultures of North America have been. However, within each column surround there [is] a subtle sharing of color and carving technique that blurs the rends within an existing culture and serves to advance the thought that a healing is taking place.” - From James Schoppert’s proposal for Modern Mask.
Modern Mask is one of Schoppert’s final pieces.
About the artist
Robert James "Jim" Schoppert (1947-1992) received a BFA from the University of Alaska/Anchorage in sculpture/printmaking and an MFA from the University of Washington in sculpture. During his career, Schoppert used different mediums such as sculpture, painting, etching, drawing, carving masks and wood panels to express his Tlingit heritage. Throughout his career, he was actively involved in the development of native art. He was inspired by a revitalization of interest in various forms. He is undeniably one of the most influential and celebrated Alaska Native artists of our time. His abstract paintings are largely inspired by the pictographs drawn by coastal communities that predate the 1800s. Translating ancestral drawings on ivory into wood sculpture, Schoppert's Minimalist art echoes his belief that, while it is important for Native American artists to recognize and respect their traditions, it is equally necessary to reach beyond those conventions.
"There is tremendous pressure for conformity from collectors and scholars, who want work that fits into the classic definition of Northwest Indian art. When things don't fit their expectations there's a raised eyebrow, and a sort of suggestion of 'What do we do with it now?'" -James Schoppert
Fun fact: In 1988, Schoppert was commissioned to create one of his largest artworks: “Seattle- Portal of the Pacific” at the westbound entrance to the Mount Baker I-90 tunnel.
