Museum of Contemporary Circumpolar Art (MCCA)

The Spotted Owl's nest is very much about external aesthetics, and spiritual content within the sculpture. The depiction of one eye open and one closed is a reference to the shaman, who already understood the outcome to the struggle and is therefore smiling. People with eyes of different colours were often thought to have supernatural power or, masks representing supernatural changes were often presented in profile so that when the mask was rotated by the dancer, the change would become visible. The body is the nest, with the face of the shaman protected by the weaving of the nest. The owl form surrounds the nest also in a protective capacity and a second owl, representing birth, is found in the tail design. Spotted Owl's Nest Joe David Nuu Chah Nulth Artist The plight of the Spotted Owl, whic came to the world's attention in the mid 1980's, resulted in an environmental campaign which altered logging practices in many regions of Washington state. It greatly increased land preserves of both Washington state and British Columbia. The Spotted Owl is a very territorial bird and when its natural habitat is decreased by logging it will not enter the domain of another bird. The number of Spotted Owls decreased significantly in only a few years causing a reevaluation in how logging was being done in the region. Joe David has offered his time and financial support to numerous environmental causes. He has also produced many pieces that illustrate environmental issues and the human relationship to nature which has always been a part of this art form and is equally, if not more relevant, in the contemporary form. Joe has been involved with the spirituality of his people and other native groups across North America, since he first began his artistic career. He has also made many pieces for ceremonies for his own tribal group, and in 1981 was adopted into the Haida tribe by Robert Davidson family to strengthen the clan adding knowledge and dedicated member. The recovery of intrinsic spirituality of the art has been a slow process and Joe has worked with other artists to insure that this will be passed on to the next generation. In 1985, he produced a Welcome Figure in traditional Nuu Chah Nulth style to be raised at a demonstration condemning the logging of his birth place, Meares Island. This pole was carved from a single log that had fallen naturally on Meares Island. Joe David began the carving by training his apprentices in the traditional spiritual preparation towards carving the pole. Beyond preparing the log, and the actual carving, the group abstained from food and family contact until the pole was complete. Joe has been critical of the modern interpretations of historic life where a totem on the beach is depicted as a quiet, idealistic past-time, rather than as a serious proposition. In the end, the island was saved form logging and many people related the pole to the final outcome.