b. 1946, Hydaburg, Alaska
First Nations Affiliation: Haida

A descendant of one of the greatest Haida artists (Charles Edenshaw), and apprentice to another (Bill Reid), Robert Davidson has followed with celebrated accomplishments in carving, jewelry design, serigraphy, and argillite and metal sculpture. He also produces designs for ceremonial button blankets and contemporary fashions with artist Dorothy Grant (a collaboration acknowledged in the milestone Land, Spirit, Power exhibition at the National Gallery of Canada in 1992). Beyond his activities as an artist, Davidson has reintroduced and maintains a master/apprentice training system, formed a traditional Haida song and dance troupe, and has hosted several potlatches. He is the recipient of two honourary doctorates (from Simon Fraser University and the University of Victoria), the National Aboriginal Achievement Award, and the Order of Canada.

R E C E N T   E X H I B I T I O N S

S E L E C T E D   C O L L E C T I O N S

Canadian Museum of Civilization, Hull, Québec
Glenbow Museum, Calgary, Alberta
National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario
Pepsico International Sculpture Park, Purchase, New York
Royal British Columbia Museum, Victoria, British Columbia
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario
Thunder Bay Art Gallery, Thunder Bay, Ontario

S E L E C T E D   B I B L I O G R A P H Y

"Aboriginal Achievement Awards foster proud new image: Presentation ceremony tonight in Vancouver honouring 14 winners underlines dramatic changes in attitudes." Globe & Mail Metro Edition, 31 March 1995, p. C2.

"Aboriginal awards: Indian lawyer, artist, athlete among honored (National Aboriginal Achievement Awards)." Vancouver Sun, 17 March 1995, p. B2.

"Ancestral art." Toronto Star, 15 January 1994, p. J1, J6.

"Art lover helps fill tall order for office tower." Financial Post 78, no. 37 (15 September 1984): 19.

"An art reborn." Vancouver Sun, 25 October 1986, p. C1-2.

"Artists, architect are honored for their work (National Aboriginal Achievement Awards)." Toronto Star, 16 March 1995, p. A10.

Bayless, Alan. "The big money in west coast Native art." Financial Times of Canada 82, no.4 (28 August 1993): 4-5.

Beglo, Jo Nordley. "Canadian art publishing, 1990-1993: An overview of monographs and exhibition catalogues." Art Documentation 13, no. 1 (Spring 1994): 19-26.

Blackman, Margaret B. "Feastwear: Haida art goes couture." American Indian Art Magazine 17 (Autumn 1992): 56-65.

Brissenden, Constance. "The eagle soars." Western Living (Vancouver Edition) 20, no. 3 (March 1990): 63-69.

Canadian Museum of Civilization, ed. In the Shadow of the Sun: Perspectives on Contemporary Native Art. Hull, Québec: The Museum, 1993.

Cardinal-Schubert, Joane. Time for Dialogue: Contemporary Artists. Calgary, Alberta: Aboriginal Awareness Society, 1992.

Carter, Sam and Leita Richardson, et al. 64-94: Contemporary Decades. Vancouver, British Columbia: Emily Carr College of Art, 1994.

"Carver's art rooted in tradition." Toronto Star, 12 May 1996. p. B5.

Cundiff, Brad. "Rob Davidson." Studio Magazine 8, no. 1 (January/February 1990): 30-36.

"Davidson continues tradition of greatness: Vancouver Art Gallery retrospective." Windspeaker 11, no. 8 (5 July 1993): R7.

"Eagle of the dawn." Vancouver Sun, 7 August 1993, p. D7. [Review Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver]

"Eminently Canadian (9 BC appointments to the Order of Canada)." Vancouver Sun, 6 July 1996, p. A23.

Enright, Robert. "The sky is the limit: Conversations with First Nations artists." Border Crossings 11, no. 4 (1992): 46-57.

"Flying free: Retrospective of Robert Davidson's work at Vancouver Art Gallery." Vancouver Sun, 26 June 1993, p. C10-11.

"Haida artist taps healing power of art." Globe & Mail Metro Edition, 3 July 1993, p. C7.

"Haida heritage: Dorothy Grant and Robert Davidson revive ancestral art." City & Country Home 13, no. 3 (Summer 1994): 16-17.

Hall, Edwin, Margaret Blackman, and Vincent Rickard. Northwest Coast Indian Graphics: An Introduction to Silkscreen Prints. Seattle, Washington: University of Washington Press, 1981.

Hansen, Thomas. "Achieving a breakthrough (1995 National Aboriginal Achievement Awards)." Performing Arts & Entertainment in Canada 29, no. 2 (Spring 1995): 24-26.

Hoover, Alan L. "Bill Reid and Robert Davidson: Innovations in Contemporary Haida Art." American Indian Magazine 18 (Autumn 1993): 48-55.

Kowinski, William S. "Giving new life to Haida art and the culture it expresses: Robert Davidson and Bill Reid rediscovered their past with the help of anthropologists, old books, tribal elders and a common ancestor. Smithsonian 25, no. 10 (January 1995): 38-47.

Lunn, Dr. John, et al. Canada's First People: A Celebration of Contemporary Native Visual Arts. Fort McMurray, Alberta: Syncrude Canada; Alberta Part Art Publications Society, 1992.

MacDonald, George F. Haida Art. Hull, Québec: Canadian Museum of Civilization; Vancouver, British Columbia; Toronto, Ontario: Douglas & McIntyre, 1996.

Macnair, Peter, Alan Hoover, and Kevin Neary. The Legacy: Tradition and Innovation in Northwest Coast Indian Art. Vancouver, British Columbia: Douglas & McIntyre, 1984. Originally published: Victoria, BC: British Columbia
Provincial Museum, 1980.

Nemiroff, Diana, Robert Houle, and Charlotte Townsend-Gault. Land, Spirit, Power: First Nations at the National Gallery of Canada. Ottawa, Ontario: National Gallery of Canada, 1992.

"New gold coin to cost collectors $473 each [Designed by Haida artist Robert Davidson]." Vancouver Sun, 30 April 1997, p. B4.

Off, Carol. "On the edge of a knife: Robert Davidson's art walks a fine line between the personal and the political, the aesthetic and the anthropological." Canadian Art 11, no. 1 (Spring 1994): 28-35.

"On the cutting edge: Robert Davidson leads a Haida renaissance." Maclean's (Toronto Edition) 106, no. 31 (2 August 1993): 43-44.

"Robert Davidson: Eagle of the dawn." Financial Post 87, no. 34 (21/23 August 1993): S9. [Review: Vancouver Art Gallery]

"Robert Davidson's Haida art at the Canadian Museum of Civilization." Upper Canadian 14, no. 3 (May/June 1994): 59.

Steltzer, Ulli. Eagle Transforming: The Art of Robert Davidson. Introduction by Margaret Blackman. Vancouver, British Columbia: Douglas & McIntyre, 1994.

Stewart, Hilary. Robert Davidson, Haida Printmaker. Vancouver, British Columbia: Douglas & McIntyre, 1979.

"Taking hold of the reins: Revitalized Robert Davidson leads a new generation of Native artists." Vancouver Sun, 21 November 21 1992, p. E9.

Thom, Ian M., ed. Robert Davidson: Eagle of the Dawn. With essays by Aldona Jonaitis, Marianne Jones and Ian M. Thom. Vancouver, British Columbia: Vancouver Art Gallery in association with Douglas & McIntyre, 1993.