PRES TON SINGLE TARY HE WHO SPINS ILLUSIONS
TRAVER GALLERY
PRES TON SINGLE TARY HE WHO SPINS ILLUSIONS
OCTOBER 2–NOVEMBER 2, 2014
He Who Spins Illusions, Preston Singletary’s newest exhibition, delves deeply in to the mythic sub-currents of Tlingit emblems and
iconography. Interested in the important tradition of storytelling in his native Tlingit culture, Singletary brings a fresh and newly imagined narrative to this most recent body of work.
Singletary’s art is his voice, and his sculptures and carving his
words. The sculptures presented in this show are invocations of the supernatural; they are shamanistic tales told around a fire; ghost
stories and legends shared quietly amongst family members; peers
recounting transformative journeys that illuminate deep spirit ual realms; they are the sometimes quiet, sometimes penetrating echoes of generations of Tlingit storytellers and artists.
Essential to Singletary’s work is the way in which his sculptures
connect him to both the present and the past. Aesthetically, he calls
our attention to these two distinct yet connected temporal realities by elegantly melding the traditional form-line design and iconog-
raphy with contemporary forms, colors, and gestures. It is through these aesthetic assertions that he captures our attention and compels us to look closely, to “hear“ his stories and family legends.
Singletary has found a new and even more resonant voice with
this body of work. The artworks in this exhibition are imbued with power. These sculptures, much like the historic treasures of the
Tlingit people, carry with them the ability to illuminate truths and
invoke great spirits; they carry both the history of a community and the future possibilities of its children. With this exhibition, Preston asserts himself as a keeper and teller of stories, and as a contemporary master of his craft.
We are extremely proud to introduce this new body of work.
Congratulations, Preston, on this important exhibition.
4
INTO THE SK Y
28.5 × 7 × 4.5 inches
HE WHO SPINS ILLUSIONS
15.5 × 11 × 3 inches
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ANOTHER RE ALIT Y
21.25 × 20 × 7 inches
9
10
A BAT TLE OF POWER
15.5 × 8 × 11 inches
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HUM AN FORM
14 × 10 × 3 inches
13
14
15.5 × 8 × 11 inches (in collaboration with Ross Richmond)
E AGLE’S OFFERING
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JOURNE Y TO THE SE A
21.25 × 8.5 × 4 inches
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FLOW OF INTERPRETATIONS
24 × 11 × 3.5 inches
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SILHOUET TE
16 × 10 × 3 inches
14 × 7 × 8.5 inches (in collaboration with Ross Richmond)
RAVEN’S HAND
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OUT OF THE NE ARBY FOREST
22.25 × 8 × 4 inches
27
HOUSE BENE ATH THE L AKE
9 × 7 × 6.75 inches
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SHA M AN FIGURE COMB
13.5 × 6 × 5.5 inches
SK Y PEOPLE
24 × 7 × 5.5 inches
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VIGIL ANT E AGLE
27.5 × 7.5 × 12 inches
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KILLER WHALE TRE ASURE
12 × 16 × 4 inches
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HOLDING THE SHA M AN’S CROWN
16.75 × 10.5 × 4.5 inches
The art of Preston Singletary has become synonymous with the relationship between European glass blowing traditions and Northwest Native art. His artworks feature themes of transformation, animal
spirits and shamanism through elegant blown glass forms and mystical sand carved Tlingit designs.
Singletary learned the art of glass blowing by working with artists
in the Seattle area including Benjamin Moore and Dante Marioni. As a student and assistant, he initially focused on mastering the
techniques of the European tradition. His work took him to Kosta Boda (Sweden) where he studied Scandinavian design and met his future wife. Throughout his 30+ years of glass blowing experience, he has also had opportunities to learn the secrets of the Venetian
glass masters by working with Italian legends Lino Tagliapietra,
Cecco Ongaro, and Pino Signoretto. In 2010, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Arts degree from the University of Puget Sound.
Now recognized internationally, Singletary’s artworks are includ-
ed in museum collections such as The British Museum (London, uk), The Museum of Fine Arts (Boston, ma), The Seattle Art Museum
(Seattle, wa), the Corning Museum of Glass (Corning, ny), the Mint Museum of Art and Design (Charlotte, nc), the Heard Museum
(Phoenix, az), and the Smithsonian Institution (Washington, dc).
Singletary maintains an active schedule by teaching and lecturing internationally. In 2009, the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, wa, launched a major mid-career survey of his work, entitled Preston
Singletary: Echoes, Fire, and Shadows. This exhibition featured Clan
House, his largest commission to date, and traveled to venues across North America.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY RUSSELL JOHNSON