Nicholas Galanin

Nicholas Galanin (pronounced gah-LANN-in) is a Tlingit and Unangax̂ multi-disciplinary artist and musician from Alaska.

His work often explores a dialogue of change and identity between Native and non-Native communities.

On the left is a 1906 Edward S. Curtis image entitled "Tewa Girl", a photograph of an unnamed Hopi-Tewa girl with a traditional "squash blossom" hairstyle.

The records that he made, over a twenty-year period, [1906-1926] is, in most cases, the only photographic, recorded or written history of the Indigenous people of over eighty tribes.

Despite Curtis's two decades of dedicated and underpaid work, Galanin, in an interview with the Reno Gazette-Journal, argues that Curtis’ forty thousand photos of eighty Indigenous tribes were "stereotyping and romanticizing the Indigenous people".

He continued: "When you choose, cherry pick, to devalue the artisans of a community, but then decide that it has value or use to you, you've removed context from the creators of it. That echoes the history that we're talking about. It's not a business deal; we're not open to business. It's thievery, really."

Although Galanin was uncertain if the Star Wars character's likeness to the Hopi-Tewa woman was deliberate or unintentional, he felt that "the influence was implied".

This particular hairstyle was also popular in Medieval Europe, centuries prior to the "discovery " of the Americas.

"I challenge those who view or listen to my work to consider that Indigenous people are not contained by colonial mechanisms designed to erase our existence through continually narrowing categories of Indian-ness".

The right half of the photo-montage depicts Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia from the 1977 film Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope with her classic "cinnamon roll" hair style.

Galanin's work is intended as a "commentary on cultural appropriation in popular media", which is largely dominated by white actors and directors.

Edward S. Curtis was an ethnographer, who sought to photograph and record, on wax cylinders, and in written notes, "the mode of life of one of the great races of mankind, [which] must be collected at once or the opportunity will be lost."

Nicholas Galanin was born in Sitka, Alaska, in 1979.

As a young boy, he learned to work with jewelry and metals from his father and uncle.

He is also the grandchild of master carver George Benson.

At the age of eighteen, Galanin worked a desk job at the Sitka National Historical Park.

When he was discovered drawing Tlingit art, on a slow day at the park, he was informed that he was only allowed to read Russian history books during working hours.

So, he quit his job to pursue art.

He recalls this as his last job that was non-creative.

In 2003, At London Guildhall University in England, he studied silversmithing and received a Bachelors of Fine Arts with honors in Jewelry Design & Silversmithing.

His first exhibition, in 2004, was entitled Totems to Turquoise, and was hosted at the Museum of Natural History in New York City.

In 2006, he created a book sculpture series, entitled What Have We Become? which incorporated blank pages and pages from 19th century anthropological books, which he "carved into, hand cut and laser engraved".

In 2007, he received a Masters of Fine Arts in indigenous visual arts at Massey University in New Zealand.

Galanin has also done apprenticeships with master carvers and jewelers.

In 2008, Galanin's work was featured in "Beat Nation: Art, Hip Hop and Aboriginal Culture" exhibition at The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery.

It was co-curated by Kathleen Ritter and Tania Willard, and featured the work of twenty-three aboriginal artists.

Galanin's entry, entitled Tsu Heidei Shugaxtutaan, is a two-part looping video of dance and music that mixes elements of traditional Tlingit and hip hop.

In the first video, David "Elsewhere" Bernal is popping to a customary Tlingit song.

In the second, Dan Littlefield appears in customary Tlingit regalia and dances to electronic music.

The Tlingit song contains the words used in the title of the piece, Tsu Heidei Shugaxtutaan, which is pronounced "soo HAYdee shoe GAK tu tahn" and means "We Will Again Open This Container of Wisdom That Has Been Left in Our Care".

In 2009, S’igeika’awu: Ghost was displayed in a new wing of the Anchorage Museum.

This work was described as "resembling both a Native mask and a piece of Delftware."

The fusion of this work reminds viewers of the period when ceremonial Native masks were considered worthless, but fine porcelain was a valuable commodity.

Things are Looking Native, Native’s Looking Whiter was the centerpiece of "Unsettled", an exhibit hosted by the Nevada Museum of Art.

It is a photographic giclée montage print that bisects and combines two photographs.

In 2012, this work was featured in "Shapeshifting: Transformations in Native American Art", an exhibit hosted by the Peabody Essex Museum of Salem, Massachusetts.

In 2013, Galanin's artwork was featured at the Alaska State Museum.

In 2015, Galanin designed a logo for Tribal Sports, a brand created by the Sitka Tribe of Alaska and Baden Sports of Seattle.

The logo will appear on Alaskan school basketballs and baseballs.

In 2016, You Are on Indisneyian Land was displayed at the "Race and Revolution" exhibition at Nolan Park on Governors Island.