Robert Davidson (artist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert Charles Davidson
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Davidson in 2016
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| Born | 4 November 1946 (age 78) |
| Nationality | Haida people, Canadian |
| Known for | carver, printmaker, painter, jewellery maker |
Robert Charles Davidson, born on November 4, 1946, is a famous Canadian artist. He is from the Haida people, an Indigenous group in Canada. 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.
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Life and Artworks
Robert Davidson is known around the world for his amazing art. He carves totem poles and masks. He also creates prints, paintings, and beautiful jewelry. He lives near Vancouver, where he has a studio on Semiahmoo First Nation land. He often visits Haida Gwaii, his family's homeland.
Early Life and Training
Davidson was born in Hydaburg, Alaska. His parents are Claude and Vivian Davidson. His grandmother, Florence Davidson, was also a Haida artist. Robert is part of the Eagle clan and the Ts'ał'lanas family line. His younger brother, Reg Davidson, is also a Haida carver. Reg used to learn from Robert.
When he was a baby, Robert moved with his family to Masset, British Columbia. This village is on Haida Gwaii. In 1965, he moved to Vancouver for high school. In 1966, he started learning from Bill Reid, a master Haida carver. The next year, he began studying at the Vancouver School of Art.
Bringing Back Haida Traditions
In 1969, Robert Davidson did something very special. He carved and raised the first totem pole on Haida Gwaii in about 90 years. This was a huge moment for his community. It helped to restart important Haida traditions.
His artworks are displayed in many major museums. These include the National Gallery of Canada and the Vancouver Art Gallery. His art style mixes traditional Haida art with modern Western art. People call his style "contemporary-traditional." It shows how he connects his community's art with art for a wider audience.
Exhibitions and Documentaries
Many of Robert Davidson's works have been shown in special exhibitions. One big show was called Robert Davidson: The Abstract Edge. It was at the National Gallery of Canada in 2007. More recently, from November 2022 to April 2023, the Vancouver Art Gallery had a show. It was called A Line That Bends But Does Not Break. This exhibition featured many of Davidson's graphic works and paintings.
Robert Davidson has also been featured in movies. He was the main subject of the documentary Haida Modern. This film first showed at the Vancouver International Film Festival in 2019. He also appeared in two other short films: This Was the Time (1970) and Now Is the Time (2019).
Awards and Recognition
Robert Davidson has received many important awards for his art and his work.
- 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, 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 once shared a wise thought:
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.
