TSONAKWA Mask - Mervyn Child

Kwakwaka'wakw, Tlingit, and Nuu-chah-nulth Nations

Born in 1955, Mervyn Child comes from a family of renowned Kwakwaka'wakw carvers, including George Hunt Jr., Calvin Hunt, and Thomas Hunt.  He is the grandson of George Hunt, a well-known ethnographer from Fort Rupert who collected objects and information for Franz Boas during the turn-of-the-century period.

Child developed his art through the tutelage of his many relatives in both Victoria and Fort Rupert.  He approaches his work from a cultural perspective, offering a carefully considered and unique interpretation with each piece carved.  Primarily working in wood, he carves and paints masks, feast bowls, and rattles. Child incorporates an asymmetrical design and a contemporary style into his works.

With a strong belief in the continuation of First Nations culture, Child works with Kwakwaka'wakw youth groups, teaching them the songs and dances of their heritage.  He is self-taught in the Kwakwaka'wakw language and lives in Fort Rupert, BC. His works can are exhibited in numerous commercial galleries, as well as public collections such as the Royal Museum in Victoria, BC, and the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia.