Artwork copyright Alex Chiu. Photo courtesy of the artist, 2023.

Artwork copyright Alex Chiu. Photo courtesy of the artist, 2023.

Artwork copyright Alex Chiu. Photo courtesy of the artist, 2023.

Artwork copyright Alex Chiu. Photo courtesy of the artist, 2023.

Artwork copyright Alex Chiu. Photo courtesy of the artist, 2023.

Artwork copyright Alex Chiu. Photo courtesy of the artist, 2023.

Artwork copyright Alex Chiu. Photo courtesy of the artist, 2023.

Untitled, 2023

Alex Chiu
(American)

Location: Magnolia Elementary School, Seattle

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Artist Alex Chiu painted this mural to illustrate the stories of the Duwamish and inspire the students of Magnolia Elementary in West Seattle far into the future. Chiu also included elements of modern-day Seattle. The mural illustrates how the ghosts of our ancestors are present everywhere we go.

Chiu spent time with Ken Workman of the Duwamish Tribe, who shared many of their stories. The stories use nature and science to explain the history and legacy of the Duwamish Tribe in the West Seattle area. Workman is a Native Storyteller and a direct descendent of Chief Seattle.

The mural includes the North Wind Weir, ancestral DNA in trees, and the Green River Trail. The North Wind Weir is the physical site where popular tales of the Native people in the Puget Sound region took place. These tales describe the battles between North Wind and South Wind. The site is situated near Cecil Moses Memorial Park on the Green River Trail. Ken Workman tells a story about why there is human DNA in trees. The image of DNA in trees depicts the idea that as the bodies of our ancestors decay, their DNA is taken up by the plants and trees that become our homes, clothes, and food. This is why the Duwamish people say, "Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for the work you do here today." It acknowledges that our ancestors continue to provide for us in the present.

Chiu also worked with Qwatulumo Nancy Bob, who is a Duwamish Tribe member and has worked for the Native Education Department of Seattle Public Schools. She provided a proper land acknowledgement written in both English and Southern Lushootseed (Duwamish).

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Seattle Public Schools.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Alex Chiu is a Chinese American painter and muralist. With a background in illustration and comics, he approaches public artwork as a form of visual storytelling. Much of his artwork includes community input and collaboration. Chiu's goal is to accurately document local history and help communities to process cultural identity through a creative process. Chiu lives in Portland, Oregon. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree (2007) in Visual Arts – Media and Studio at the University of California at San Diego.