Art Of The Northwest Coast

by Aldona Jonaitis

A seminal single-volume overview of the magnificent art of the Northwest Coast, with text from a distinguished authority augmented by full-colour images throughout. Art of the Northwest Coast is a superbly illustrated and informed overview of the First Nations art of the Northwest Coast, covering the region from Puget Sound to Haida Gwaii to Alaska, and proceeding from prehistoric times to the present. Created in the spirit of the best-selling Thames & Hudson World of Art series, this groundbreaking volume provides an overview of the development of the art's styles and meanings in the context of the region's social history. Aldona Jonaitis argues convincingly that rather than being lost following European contact, Native traditions were simply expressed in different ways, and that First Nations art is now flourishing as never before. Compellingly written and beautifully designed, Art of the Northwest Coast is essential reading for anyone interested in art, First Nations cultures and the evolution of both.

Genres: Art, Anthropology, Nonfiction, History, Native American

344 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Phillip]

4.0 / 5.0

Nice Chronological Organization. Nice integration of illustrations with text. Well Written and informative

[Ron Peters]

A nice overview with an equal emphasis on continuity and change over time, arts works in various materials, and the styles of various regions. Really nicely illustrated - it's fun to take out just to flip through the photos and maps. It also has a fabulous bibliographic essay at the end that can guide your reading for years to come! One unique feature is the final two chapters: "Persistence of Artistic Traditions, 1900 to 1960", and "Identity and Sovereignty, 1960s to today". These modern periods are typically ignored in overviews of the Northwest Coast art tradition, but they are needed to understand why these arts still exist and why they are, in fact, thriving. Also included is a discussion of repatriation. A nice book generally, and well worth the read!

[Bosh]

It's hard for a beginner to learn about the Northwest Coast First Nations, because there are so many broad stereotypes and totally inaccurate generalizations that are still running rampant. This book does a great job of dealing with each major cultural group separately, without getting too academic or complicated. Makes for a good casual read.

[Stidmama]

This is a good overview of Native Northwest Art Forms. It is clear about the variations -- each type incorporates different materials, elements or styles, although all have similarities.

It is scholarly, but not out of the reach of the interested non-academic reader.

[Mary Gargett]

lots of really really cool art and facts of the Indian cultures that thrived in the area that i grew up in!