17′ X 26′, house paint and Posca markers on canvas. For the Áak’w Rock Music Festival, 2023

The many faces of Transcendent Whale (a modern, and very large version of the ancestral Chilkat Diving Whale pattern) was led by myself and created by Chris Haas, Bill Hudson, Amelie Haas, Nicholas Hope, and Arii Shodda-lee. We painted it because it would have taken 30 years to weave it. Immense awe to the lighting designers for making this work such a dynamic element in the festival. I was honored to lead a painting project that allowed me to contribute toward the energetic output of/collaboration with native musical excellence. Tremendous gratitude to the organizers of Áak’w Rock for granting me the opportunity to participate in such an amazing event.

Many of the photos included in the project gallery below were captured by Sydney Akagi.