Tsimshian Artist
Ed.E.Bryant
Hagwil-Gáax
Tsimshian Nation
Gitando Clan / Raven crest
Ed. E. Bryant, born in Lax Kw Alaams, a small native village on the Northwest Coast of British Columbia.
Raised by his grandparents and inspired by the cultural knowledge of his grandfather, has had a lifetime of traditional values, that includes the history, mythology, medicine and language of his people, the Tsimshians.
Since over 39 years, Edward Bryant is carving his art pieces, in traditional Tsimshian style, mostly out of red and yellow cedar, alder, birch, maple and yew wood. He also does bone, natural ivory, copper and silver. Enhancing many of his pieces are intricate abalone shell inlay work. The artist also creates dance regalia, designs and is skilled in tool making.
He has collaborated with his brother Henry A Green to work on Totems and canoe. A four crest memorial pole 9m in Prince Rupert, a 4m column pole in Port Simpson and a 3m totem in Geneva. All art pieces, such as a 8m canoe, were done with traditional bent knives and elbow adzes. His work was also inspired by various artists, such as Ron Telek, Heber Reece, Lyle Campbell, George McKay and others.
The past years Edward Bryant has worked in a carving shop, which is associated with the Museum of Northern B.C., Prince Rupert.
Since 1998, during his stay in Germany, the artist has exhibited his objects in different museums with great success and compliments.
TXAMSEM, the mythological giant / raven, made out of 450 year old red cedar, was displayed in the North American exhibit, with other artifacts, at the Linden museum Stuttgart. For a special exhibition, at the same place, called the ” Die Kunst zu Überleben – Indianer Nordamerikas “, he also designed and showed two original prints, Raven and Killerwhale. This exhibit was shown in January 99 at Zürich, Switzerland. As of November 98, RHPEESUNT, the bear mother mask, yellow cedar carved and painted, was purchased by the Linden museum Stuttgart, also a traditional Tsimshian longhouse model. Both are on exhibit in their public display of Northwest Coast native cultural pieces and arts.
KTSEMAUS, a birch mask, which represents spirit of the sandbar of the Skeena River, was currently on exhibit in a exhibition called ” Winnetous Tod “, at the Neanderthal Museum Germany.
The exhibits for 2000 were” Masken der Welt ” in Burgfrieden/Ulm, which represented 5000 years of masks of the world and another one in the museum in Hagen, which shows historical native pieces and newer traditional Tsimshian arts of the artist.
Many lectures, workshops, TV-interviews and documentation, radio, seminars and guided tours in museums like, the Dahlem Museum in Berlin, Völkerkunde Museum Frankfurt and Heidelberg, also a opening ceremony for the Canadian Embassy, titled ” Raubwal und Sonnenfinder “, in Bad Schwalbach, have made the artist stay in Germany during the past years very successful and fulfilling.
2,50 meter totem pole for the Landes museum in Hannover
7 meter totem pole for Stone hill, Stöckach, Germany
10 meter painted mural on stone cliff for Karl May fest 2016
Karl May totem pole- 7 meter representing 4 designs, carved and raised at the museum in Radebuel. 2017
Bamberg Waldkindergarten 7 meter totem pole, designed and carved with designs picked by the children.
Today the artist resides in the Wolfgang See area in Austria and continues to produce art and teaches in workshops for people to learn to carve and design northwest coast designs and art.