Giant North Pacific Octopus Sculpture Unveiling and Opening Reception, Scholastic Visual Arts High School Awards Ceremony, and Film Screening of Dugout
Juneau – A large and marvelous creature-sculpture has come to the Alaska State Museum. At 5 p.m., a 30-foot-long wood framed structure depicting a North Pacific giant octopus will be unveiled in the Discovery Room in the State Museum, and her name will be announced. This follows a month-long marathon of youth and adult activities to craft the creature’s skin. Wearing sea-life costumes to this First Friday opening is recommended! The free reception is sponsored by the Friends of the Alaska State Library, Archives and Museum and will run from 4:30 – 7:00 p.m.
At 6:00 p.m., a short award ceremony will be held in the atrium. Scholastic Visual Art and Writing Awards will be given to 8 Juneau School District high school students who received honors. The Scholastic Visual Art and Writing Awards is the nation’s longest-running recognition initiative for creative teens, and the largest source of scholarships recognizing talent in young artists. Alaska State Museum Curator Jackie Manning, a former recipient of the high school award, will assist with handing out the awards.
From 6:30 – 8:00 p.m., a film screening of Dugout will show in the APK lecture hall. In 2009 Wayne Price, master carver, took nineteen young people and a round cedar log to an island in the middle of the Yukon River. The only way off the island, Price made clear to the students, was by carving the cedar log into a canoe themselves. The struggle was about more than canoe building, it was also about recovery and wellness. Dugout is the name of the film that follows Price and his young apprentices as they work together to overcome challenges of modern life through application of ancient skills. Today Price is an Associate Professor of Northwest Coast Native Arts at the University of Alaska Southeast in Juneau. There he is part of a growing community dedicating to bringing to life new programs highlighting indigenous culture, knowledge, technology, and language. The Alaska State Museum is honored to welcome Price back for a screening of this documentary film.
Winter hours at the Museum are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Discounted winter admission is $7, with those age 18 and under admitted free. An annual pass that allows unlimited visits to the Alaska State Museum and the Sheldon Jackson Museum in Sitka is available for $35. Assistance is available for visitors who have special needs. Please contact visitor services at 465-2901 before the visit.
0 Comments.