Ts'msyen Transforming: Morgan Green

Morgan Green introduces breathtaking examples of hollow-form jewelry in her solo exhibition Ts'msyen Transforming.  The exhibition reveals sophisticated works of art and personal adornment, in which Green honours the values, classical art and design of the Ts'mysen people, while using classic European gold smithing, bronze casting and fashion design techniques.

Green's work is deeply rooted in her ancestral heritage. She takes her role as a Ts'msyen artist very seriously, and transforms various materials into works of art that respect and communicate family crests and oral histories. She transforms raw materials from nature, ancient metals, precious stones, eagle claws, dentalia, shell buttons and fine fabric into high art that both share historical knowledge, and act as a social indicator of the wearer's status in society.

Works in this exhibition were developed, designed and constructed over several months, and in some cases, years. Green has benefited from formal mentorships with her father, Henry Green, Ts'msyen master carver; Rick Adkins, Haida master engraver; and Gerold Muller, a German goldsmith and principal of Vancouver Metal Arts School.

For her inspiration, Green draws on her experience growing up close to nature, exploring the flora and fauna, and fishing on the Skeena River and ocean.  Eagles, ravens, killer whales, and other beings appear in her work. 

In the words of Curator, Kwiaahwah Jones, "Ts'msyen Transforming is an important evolutionary step in the development of personal adornment for Northwest Coast Art. Morgan Green has successfully brought together the best of both Indigenous and European cultures to evolve into beautiful contemporary examples of what can happen when ideas and cultural knowledge work together".

Exhibition Dates

April 30, 2014 to September 14, 2014