Beau Dick Tuxw'id Sculpture

Lattimer Gallery is excited to be carrying an articulated and intricate Tuxw’id sculpture by famous Kwakwaka'wakw artist, Beau Dick.

Beau Dick's Moving Tuxw'id Sculpture - $4,000.00 CAD 

Also known as Tokwit, this female figure is featured in the Kwakwaka’wakw’s War Spirit dance ceremonies. Tokwit is a girl, and she represents the power of the Kwakwaka’wakw people. One legend of Tokwit involves a ceremonial dance hosted by the Kwakwaka’wakw, to which other cultures were invited. The Kwakwaka’wakw dancers bring Tokwit out and, through illusion and the darkness of night, pretend to decapitate her. A carved wooden head in her likeness is thrown out into the crowd, to scare the spectators, and then collected by the dancers. Later in the evening, Tokwit re-emerges, with a red line around her neck, and all of the guests are in awe over the apparent powers of the Kwakwaka’wakw people to reanimate the dead.

One of the Articulated Features of this Sculpture

In Northwest Coast art, Tokwit is often represented as a young female painted entirely red, an allusion to this frightening legend of magic and deception. She also often sports a black beauty mark on her cheek. In this sculpture by Beau, Tokwit is standing behind a mortuary box containing a skeleton, representing both her ability to avoid death and the Kwakwaka'wakw Nation's ingenuity. This mysterious work measures 17" x 5 1/2" x 11" and is available for $4,000.00 CAD.