Critical Issues in Contemporary Art Practice: Rande Cook

Rande Cook (b. 1977) is a Kwakwaka’wakw multi-media artist born in culture-rich Alert Bay. He found his passion for artistic creativity at an early age as he studied traditional jewelry and carving techniques under several master craftsmen, including John Livingston. In 1991, Cook moved to Victoria where he was exposed to a wide range of art forms and practices from the Western tradition. With his unique accumulation of heritage, knowledge, and experience, Cook continually pushes boundaries to create beautiful and provocative works that challenge audiences to reconsider the role of traditional techniques for contemporary art-making. He carries two chieftainships: the Hamatam / Seagull and the Gigalgam, both from the ancient ancestor Kwanusila / Thunderbird. This story can be seen on the 27-foot totem pole he was commissioned to carve for the Museum Volkenkunde in the Netherlands in 2012. Cook has exhibited widely in the United States and Canada, and, in 2017, he was awarded the Audain Professorship for the Pacific Northwest at the University of Victoria.

The 2020 Critical Issues Lecture Series takes place on Thursday evenings during winter quarter. It is organized by the School of Art + Art History + Design in collaboration with the Henry Art Gallery. The general public is invited to sit alongside degree-seeking individuals studying fine art in order to share ideas and raise questions about contemporary art. In addition to the public lectures, undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in ART 361/561 interface with the speakers in the classroom and studio.

Computer Aided Real-Time Transcription (CART) is provided.

See the full lineup of 2020 Critical Issues Lectures here.