Robert Davidson (artist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert Charles Davidson
|
|
|---|---|
Davidson in 2016
|
|
| Born | 4 November 1946 (age 78) |
| Nationality | Haida people, Canadian |
| Known for | carver, printmaker, painter, jewellery maker |
Robert Charles Davidson (born November 4, 1946) is a famous Canadian artist. He is part of the Haida people, an Indigenous group from the Pacific Northwest. His Haida name is G̲uud San Glans, which means "Eagle of the Dawn." Robert Davidson is very important in bringing back and celebrating Haida art and culture. He lives in White Rock, British Columbia.
Contents
Life and Art of Robert Davidson
Robert Davidson is known around the world for his amazing art. He creates totem poles and masks. He also makes prints, paintings, and beautiful jewelry. He lives near Vancouver, Canada. His art studio is on land belonging to the Semiahmoo First Nation. Every year, he visits Haida Gwaii, his family's homeland.
Early Life and Haida Roots
Robert Davidson was born in Hydaburg, Alaska. His parents are Claude and Vivian Davidson. His grandmother, Florence Davidson, was also a famous Haida artist. Robert is part of the Eagle moiety, from the Ts'ał'lanas family line. His younger brother, Reg Davidson, is also a talented Haida carver. Reg even learned from Robert as an apprentice.
When Robert was a baby, his family moved. They went to the Haida village of Masset, British Columbia. This village is on Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands). For high school, Robert moved to Vancouver in 1965. In 1966, he started learning from a master Haida carver named Bill Reid. In 1967, he began studying art at the Vancouver School of Art.
Bringing Back Haida Traditions
In 1969, Robert Davidson did something very special. He carved and raised a new totem pole on Haida Gwaii. This was the first totem pole raised there in about 90 years! This event helped to restart a very important Haida tradition.
His artworks are displayed in many major museums. You can see his pieces at the National Gallery of Canada. They are also at the Canadian Museum of Civilization and the Vancouver Art Gallery. His art style mixes traditional Haida art with modern ideas. People call his style "contemporary-traditional." It shows how his art connects to both his community and the wider art world.
Exhibitions and Documentaries
A big art show of his work happened in 2007. It was called Robert Davidson: The Abstract Edge. The Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia (UBC) organized it. It was shown at the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa.
From November 2022 to April 2023, the Vancouver Art Gallery had another show. It was named A Line That Bends But Does Not Break. This exhibition showed many of Davidson's graphic works. It included paintings from private collections.
Robert Davidson has also been featured in movies. He was the main subject of Haida Modern. This film premiered at the Vancouver International Film Festival in 2019. He also appeared in two short films: This Was the Time (1970) and Now Is the Time (2019).
Awards and Recognition
Robert Davidson has received many important awards. These awards celebrate his amazing contributions to art and culture.
- Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts, University of Victoria, 1992
- Honorary Doctor of Laws, Simon Fraser University, 1994
- Order of British Columbia, 1995
- National Aboriginal Achievement Award, 1995
- Member of the Order of Canada, 1996
- Honorary Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.), University of British Columbia, 2007
- Aboriginal Art Lifetime Achievement Awards, BC Achievement Foundation, 2007
- Governor General's Awards in Visual and Media Arts, Canada Council, 2010
- Member, Royal Canadian Academy of Arts
- The Audain Prize for Lifetime Achievement in the Visual Arts, 2010
Robert Davidson often shares his wisdom. He once said:
If we look at the world in the form of a circle, let us look at what is on the inside of the circle as experience, culture and knowledge: Let us look at this as the past. What is outside of the circle is yet to be experienced. But in order to expand the circle we must know what is inside the circle.
