For years we have had the pleasure of seeing artist and curator Perry Eaton (Alutiiq) when he stops in to the gallery, often on the way to or from France. Eaton has been working closely with the Musée Boulogne-sur-Mer in France, which holds one of the largest collections of Alaskan indigenous art and artifacts in the world, and the largest collection of masks from Kodiak. Eaton and other Alutiiq/Suqpiaq artists have been studying this collection and working to create strong ties between the French Musée and Alaskan institutions. In 2008, a selection of the masks traveled to the Anchorage Museum as the landmark exhibit, “Giinaquq (Like a Face): Sugpiaq Masks of the Kodiak Archipelago.”
This June Eaton is returning the favor, by bringing artwork by Alaska’s best contemporary artists to the Musée as a major exhibition and will remain in the permanent collection. The exhibit will feature almost 30 artists, including Eaton, Preston Singletary, Larry Ahvakana, Thomas Stream, Allie High, Drew Michael, Clarissa Rizal, Allie High, and Alvin Amason.