Spirit Faces: Contemporary Masks of the Northwest Coast

Patricia Morley is professor emerita of English and Canadian studies at
Concordia University, Japan Foundation Fellow 1991-92, and the author of
Margaret Laurence: The Long Journey Home and As Though Life Mattered:
Leo Kennedy’s Story.

In an excellent introduction, Gary Wyatt (Curator of the Northwest Coast
collection at the Inuit Gallery of Vancouver) notes that the indigenous
peoples of North America’s Northwest Coast form one of the world’s
oldest and richest cultural groups. He also traces the history of these
peoples from the 19th century, places their art within both an
indigenous and an international context, and discusses the meaning of
various masks and their ceremonial use.

More image than text, Spirit Faces features the work of 23 artists.
Seventy-five masks are shown in vivid color and full-page size. All are
powerful and impressive. Many are literally awesome, such as Joe
David’s “Warrior,” Tim Paul’s “Thunderbird,” Ken McNeil’s
“Bear/Human Transformation,” Norman Tait’s “Spirit Who Controls
the Weather,” and Robert Jackson’s “Prince of Frogs.”

The masks are used in dance dramas at ceremonial feasts. This important
art form is a reservoir of cultural tradition and religious myth. As Ken
McNeil observes, “Our people are our art and the art comes from our
people.” The book’s layout is effective, with short captions by the
artist placed near each mask, and the overall effect dynamic.
Biographical notes on the artists are included.