Lyle Wilson is a Haisla artist from Kitamaat Village, British Columbia, Canada. The Haisla tribe is often referred to as Northern Kwakiutl. Haisla historic artistic style merges distinctive qualities of their own influences with influences from other sources like Kwakiutl and Tsimshian.
The Haisla Clan system is matrilineal and, although he was born into the Beaver Clan, Lyle was formally adopted into his father's Eagle Clan to help ensure the continuation of the Eagle Clan during a period of high death rates. This was a small but important event, which helped, shape Wilson's view of Haisla culture and his subsequent artistic engagement with it.
Wilson was always interested and passionate of Haisla art. Sam Robinson, his uncle and a celebrated carver, was one of Wilson’s earliest influences. Under Robinson’s direction, he began to informally study the form and practice of carving. After attending the University of British Columbia he began a career in art education that would eventually give way to a full time course of study at Emily Carr College of Art and Design.
Wilson graduated with a diploma in printmaking. This artistic style has its roots in graphics, but also envelops his three-dimensional works in wood and jewelry. His work replicates and infuses historic Haisla art with his personal style to create pieces to aid future generations in understanding and visualizing Haila art.
Wilson has been involved with many important private and public commissions and group and solo exhibitions since 1981, both locally and abroad. He has acted as the Artist in Residence at the University of British Columbia Museum of Anthropology and while he continues to work closely with this institution, Wilson prefers working by himself, believing that the individual personality shows itself in the finished work --- thus he is reluctant to involve others in his artistic projects unless absolutely necessary. Even his larger carvings remain mostly his own efforts.
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The Eagle and Shadows by Wilson, Lyle |
Education 1987: 5th year, Secondary Art Education, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC. 1988 Graduated in Print-making, Emily Carr College of Art and Design, Vancouver, BC. 1976 - 1979: Native Indian Teacher Education Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC.
Commissions & Projects
1995: "Haisla House-Post"
~ 6 ft. Red Cedar replicated carving of old artifact at the Museum of Anthropology at UBC ---- artist donated the carving to the Haisla Community School, Kitamaat Village, BC.
1992: "Eulachon: A Fish to Cure Humanity"
~ Co-curated this catalogued exhibition documenting the historical and contemporary usage of the eulachon fish; opened at the UBC Museum of Anthropology, Vancouver, BC
1988: "Image Recovery Project"
~Using an infra-red camera, historical images were photographed, archived and replicated; this is the intesive documentation of painted images of historical work undertaken to this date.
1987: "Northwest Coast Traditional Longhouse Project"
~Assistant Co-ordinator/Liason for the planning, building of 6 different Northwest Coast Longhouses at the UBC Museum of Anthropology; the longhouses were installed at the Canadian Museum of Civilization, Quebec
Selected Group & Solo Exhibitions
2009: Challenging Traditions : Contemporary First Nations Art of the Northwest Coast.
McMichael Museum of Canadian Art, Ontario
2009: North Star : The Art of Lyle Wilson Solo Show, West Vancouver Musuem, West Vancouver, BC
2004: Totems to Turquoise American Museum of Natural History, New York
2003: Northwest Coast Collections Inuit Gallery, Vancouver, BC
2001: Raven Stories Inuit Gallery, Vancouver, BC
2001: Northwest Innovations: Transforming Traditions Evergreen Cultural Centre Art Gallery, Coquitlam, BC
2000: Time & Tide Inuit Gallery, Vancouver, BC
1999: Arrows of the Spirit Mengei International Museum, San Deigo, California
1999: Prints on the Horizon Inuit Gallery, Vancouver, BC
1998: Transitions Spirit Wrestler Gallery, Vancouver, BC
1997: Enduring Vision Inuit Gallery, Vancouver, BC
1997: Redefining Tradition: A Selection of First Nations Artist and Their Work Whatcom Museum, Washington
1997 & 1996: Jewelry of the Northwest Coast Inuit Gallery, Vancouver, BC
1992: Seattle International Art Fair Los Angeles, California
1990: Painted Drums of the Northwest Coast Inuit Gallery, Vancouver, BC
1989 - 1991: When Worlds Collide, National Travelling Solo Show
1989: Masks: An Exhibition of Northwest Coast Native Masks Inuit Gallery, Vancouver, BC
1989: First Nations Art of the Oceans Exhibit at the Canada - Japan Bilatreal Symposium, Vancouver, BC
1989: Beyond the Revival: Contemporary Northwest Native Art Charles H. Scott Gallery, Vancouver, BC
1988: The Transforming Image: Painted Arts of the Northwest Coast Museum of Anthropology at UBC, Vancouver, BC
1986: What Is Native American Art? Vancouver, BC
1986: International Works on Paper London Ontario Regional Art Gallery, Ontario
1981: Native American Arts '81 Philbrook Art Centre, Tulsa
1980: Northwest Renaissance Burnaby Art Gallery, Burnaby, BC
Work Cited
http://www.coastalpeoples.com/index.php?mpage=artist&aid=116
