Tlingit Human Portrait Mask, Alaska

Tlingit Human Portrait Mask, Alaska
James Johnson / Corinne Weidmann
Red cedar, human hair, copper & acrylics, 2019

This work emerged from an intercultural collaboration between Tlingit carver James Johnson and Swiss visual artist Corinne Weidmann. Rooted in traditional Tlingit carving, the mask was painted with a contemporary interpretation of Swiss and Alpine floral patterns.

Rather than merging traditions into a single hybrid form, the collaboration allows two distinct cultural languages to coexist within one object. The carved form remains firmly grounded in Tlingit tradition, while the painted surface introduces a visual vocabulary shaped by European alpine folk motifs. The work becomes a site of encounter — respectful, dialogical, and grounded in mutual recognition.