Artwork copyright Robert James Schoppert. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2017.

Artwork copyright Robert James Schoppert. Photo courtesy of the artist, 1986.

Artwork copyright Robert James Schoppert. Photo courtesy of the artist, 1986.

Artwork copyright Robert James Schoppert. Photo courtesy of the artist, 1986.

Artwork copyright Robert James Schoppert. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2017.

Killer Whale, 1984

Robert James Schoppert
American Tlingit (born 1947, died 1992)

Location: Washington State University, Pullman

About the Artwork

Artist Robert James Schoppert created the colorful, abstract, and surrealistic sculpture "Killer Whale" as an exploration and continuation of Tlingit (Native Alaskan) artistic and cultural traditions. His ancestry has an essential and immediate impact on his work. Discussing the role he plays in his culture, Schoppert noted, "I've broken new ground in my work which will allow others freedom to express their culture's aesthetic in expressive terms rather than the restrictive pressures of tradition."

This artwork is part of Beyond Blue Mountains, a collection that was curated by late Tlingit (Native Alaskan) artist Jim Schoppert. It presents the work of Native American artists of diverse heritage, ideas, materials, and styles. The collection takes an in-depth look at the artists’ unique voices and interpretations of tradition.

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

About the Artist

Artist Robert James "Jim" Schoppert (1947-1992) drew inspiration and influence from his Tlingit (Native Alaskan) heritage. He created paintings, carvings, and other artworks that articulate Native Alaskan traditions and identities, while pushing into modernism and abstraction.
Schoppert attended Anchorage Community College, before earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Sculpture and Printmaking from the University of Alaska in 1978 and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Sculpture from the University of Washington in Seattle in 1981. Schoppert taught at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) as a guest professor and gave presentations at elementary schools throughout Alaska and Washington. He was also known for his poetry and essays.