Summary and Objectives

A study of selected works of art from the Pacific Northwest will introduce students to the symbolism, materials, and uses of masks, and serve as inspiration for artmaking. Another activity focuses on students’ discussion of the potlatch with its distribution of gifts. Students will

• Explore the uses and visual forms of masks in the Pacific Northwest (United States and Canada) through visual analyses and artmaking activities.
• Analyze the potlatch as a means of exchanging wealth and expressing status through discussion and oral language activities.
• Express their interpretation of the concept of transformation through the making of masks.