Clash of the Clans

This work shows two encircling killer whales representing two different art styles of Native Northwest Coastal art. The whale on the left represents the artist’s own heritage, belonging to the Killer Whale clan of the Squaxin Island tribe. This whale illustrates design elements of the Coast Salish artistic tradition, customs to which many have lost their knowledge and connections to, but is very much alive. The whale on the right shows forms that are found in the Northern Formline tradition, practiced in Northern British Columbia and Southern Alaska. Within this whale, various Northern clans are represented (the Raven, Killer Whale, Thunderbird, and Wolf). While the title suggests conflict between the two visual customs, the piece is educational, showing intertribal differences that coexist.