Visual Arts

Much of the early visual art made by Yukon Indigenous peoples has been practical as well as aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Designs are often carved into wood, antler, and bone, or sewn, beaded, or painted on cloth. Images of some of this early visual art can be seen in Julie Cruikshank’s book Reading Voices, Dän Dhá Ts’edenintth’é: Oral and Written Interpretations of the Yukon’s Past (1991), which contains detailed photos of local Indigenous material culture, as well as photos of people’s personal collections of carvings and beadwork. In the past, clothing and body ornamentation were two types of visual art that were often commented on by early anthropologists and other newcomers. The following sections will demonstrate more contemporary visual arts.