Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas facts for kids

Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas is a talented artist, author, and speaker. His amazing artwork can be found all over the world. You can see his pieces in famous places like the British Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Yahgulanaas has always cared deeply about the environment. He has also been involved in politics. For many years, he was an elected leader for his community, the Old Massett Village Council. He was also part of the Council of the Haida Nation.

Growing Up and Early Life

Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas was born in Prince Rupert, British Columbia in 1954. He grew up near Delkatla, a small area close to the fishing village of Masset. This village is on Haida Gwaii, which are islands off the coast of British Columbia.

He comes from a family of important Haida artists. His ancestors include Isabella Edenshaw and Charles Edenshaw.

When he was a kid, Yahgulanaas loved reading comic books. He also enjoyed drawing his own cartoons. He drew so much that he covered the walls and ceiling of his bedroom with his art!

By the time he was 22, he started using his art to help his community. He also used it to support bigger movements for protecting the environment.

His Art Journey

Learning Art Skills

In 1978, Yahgulanaas began to formally learn classical Haida art forms. This means he studied the traditional ways of creating art from his Haida culture.

What is Haida Manga?

While Yahgulanaas learned from master carvers, he also studied Chinese brush painting. This mix of styles helped him create something new: a type of storytelling art called "Haida manga."

Haida Manga combines traditional Haida art with the energetic style of Asian manga comics. It's a unique blend that creates a "third space" for thinking about important topics. This art form is fun and playful, but it also helps people think about social issues. It encourages discussion, reflection, and action.

Amazing Sculptures

Yahgulanaas also creates sculptures, often using metal. Some of his famous metal artworks include pieces for the British Museum in 2010. He also made art for the City of Vancouver in 2011 and the 2010 Winter Olympics.

In 2015, his sculpture called Sei was shown at the Vancouver International Airport. This sculpture looks like a sei whale. In 2016, one of his sculptures, Yelthadaas, became part of the permanent collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. This piece is displayed in a special gallery that connects modern art with Indigenous art.

Selected Art Shows

Solo Exhibitions

• Diaries after a Flood, Museum of Contemporary Art, Toronto, Canada, 2024
• The Seriousness of Play, Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 2016
• A Tale of Two Shamans, Haida Gwaii, Canada, 2018

Group Exhibitions

• Raven Travelling, Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 2006
• Beat Nation, Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 2012
• Tokyo Design Week, Milan, Italy, 2015
• Comic Sans, Art Gallery of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada, 2022
• Outsider Art Fair, Metropolitan Pavilion, New York City, USA, 2023
• XIÁM, Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 2024

Books He Has Written or Illustrated

Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas is also a successful author and illustrator.

• JAJ: a Haida Manga, (2023)
• Carpe Fin: A Haida Manga, (2019)
• War of the Blink, (2017)
• The Little Hummingbird, (2010)
• Red: A Haida Manga, (2009)
• Flight of the Hummingbird: a parable for the environment, (2008)

His book Hachidori has sold over 100,000 copies in Japan. One day, it even sold 20,000 copies! Flight of the Hummingbird is also very popular. It has been translated into five languages. This book includes essays from important people like the Dalai Lama and Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai. Yahgulanaas also illustrated Declaration of Interdependence, a book written by Dr. David Suzuki.