Tanis Maria S'eiltin (born 1951) is a Tlingit installation artist, painter, printmaker, and sculptor.

Early life and career

S'eiltin was born into a family of artists. She learned from her mother, who weaved Chilkat robes and sewed skins into garments. As a child, she often visited Tlingit relatives in Haines, Alaska. She earned a

Bachelor of Fine Arts A Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) is a standard undergraduate degree for students for pursuing a professional education in the visual, fine or performing arts. It is also called Bachelor of Visual Arts (BVA) in some cases. Background The Bachelor ...

from the University of Alaska Fairbanks in 1986. She then earned her Masters of Fine Arts in mixed media from the University of Arizona, where she explored her unique aesthetic. S'eiltin is an associate professor and researcher of art and humanities at Fairhaven College.

Works

S'eiltin uses classically indigenous materials in her art, including animal pelts and bones. Themes in S'eiltin's works include the impact of Western colonization,

postmodernism Postmodernism is an intellectual stance or Rhetorical modes, mode of discourseNuyen, A.T., 1992. The Role of Rhetorical Devices in Postmodernist Discourse. Philosophy & Rhetoric, pp.183–194. characterized by philosophical skepticism, skepticis ...

, and statements of resistance and hope. One of S'eiltin's works, ''Hit (House in Tlingit Language)'', is a 2007 mixed-media installation, including video components, that includes a replica M16 rifle suspended in a 55-gallon glass tank of oil and water. The work demonstrates themes of colonialism and toxic masculinity. The work demonstrates parallels between the Angoon bombardment and the

First Gulf War The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...

, while also bringing attention to stereotypes and of Indigenous and Muslim women. On her art, S'eiltin says "I strive to create art that is aesthetically beautiful and informative, the goal is to encourage dialogue and raise awareness."

Awards and recognition

S'eiltin was a 2005 recipient of the Eiteljorg Fellowship.

Collections and exhibitions

S'eiltin's works are available in the following collections: * Anchorage Museum * Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art * University of Alaska Museum of the North * Washington State Arts Commission Her work has been exhibited in the following group shows and exhibitions: * ''Territorial Trappings'' (M. Rosetta Hunter Art Gallery at Seattle Central College, 2012) * ''Making Sense of Things'' (Gorman Museum at the University of California, Davis in collaboration with the McMaster Museum of Art, 2006) * ''Changing Hands: Art Without Reservation'' ( Museum of Arts and Design, 2005) * ''Eewdoowata'w ag'e: Did They Rob You?'' ( Institute of American Indian Arts Museum, 1999) * ''Watchful Eyes, Native American Women Artists'' ( Heard Museum, 1994)

References

External links

Tanis S'eiltin's website

(archived) * Tanis S'eiltin {{DEFAULTSORT:S'eiltin, Tanis 1951 births Living people 20th-century Native American artists 21st-century Native American artists Alaska Native women Native American installation artists American mixed-media artists Tlingit women artists Tlingit artists University of Alaska Fairbanks alumni University of Arizona alumni Western Washington University faculty 20th-century Native American women 21st-century Native American women Native American women artists