Artwork copyright Samuella Samaniego. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Artwork copyright Samuella Samaniego. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2016.

First Run, 2002

Samuella Samaniego
American Tlingit (born 1958)

Location: University of Washington, Seattle

About the Artwork

Photographer Samuella Samaniego composed First Run as an expansive depiction of "nature's forceful desire of migration". She notes, "My work is about a particular moment in time, directly related to the present or in apparent dialogue with the past."

This artwork is part of the Contemporary Native American Artwork Collection, on view at the University of Washington Gallagher Law Library in Seattle. 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

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."