Artwork copyright Samuella Samaniego. Photo courtesy of the artist, 2003.

Artwork copyright Samuella Samaniego. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2022.

Artwork copyright Samuella Samaniego. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2022.

Celebration - 2000, 2000

Samuella Samaniego
(American | Tlingit, born 1958)

Location: University of Washington, Seattle

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

An example of photographer Samuella Samaniego's body of work that documents Native American ceremonies, Celebration - 2000 uses light, contrast and texture to capture emotion. She notes, “These images are from an event which takes place on alternate years in Alaska. It is simply called “Celebration.” Songs and dances are performed by clans, in their native languages, in great hope that Native heritage is sustained and remembered.”

This artwork is part of the Contemporary Native American Artwork Collection, on view at the University of Washington Gallagher Law Library in Seattle. Samuella Samaniego is one of the eight featured contemporary Native American artists. The collection was proposed by artist John Feodorov, who selected the eight represented artists for their rich and forward-thinking cultural expression. Speaking to the contemporary nature of this collection, Feodorov notes “since art, like law, is an ever evolving process, it cannot rely on nostalgia if it is to remain relevant."

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with University of Washington.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Seattle-based artist Samuella Samaniego (Tlingit) creates photographs and films that explore themes of survival, sexuality, resurrection, and ritual. Motivated and informed by social issues, her works portray and advocate cultural equality.

Samaniego was raised in Juneau, Southeast Alaska. She is of Tlingit (Native Alaskan) and Asian descent. Of her Tlingit heritage and its impact on her work, she notes "being Native, accepting the lifelong process of becoming Native, consistently informs the vision of my work. Photography is a Native art in every sense, demanding that one be attentive without disruption, establishing an intimate familiarity with one's environment... My work is about a particular moment of time, directly related to the present or in apparent dialogue with the past."