Coast Salish Squamish Mask By Floyd Joseph

ca.  1978  

5.75" H x 13" H x 7.875" W 

Hand Carved and Hand Painted in Red, Blue and Black Colors with Geometric Designs

In Very Good Condition

Floyd Joseph, also known by his ancestral name "Tyee," is a renowned Coast Salish artist and hereditary chief of the Squamish Nation, based in the Squamish region along the Salish Coast of British Columbia, Canada.  Born in 1953 in Capilano, North Vancouver, he comes from a long line of carvers, including his father, Chief Larry Joseph.  Joseph received his name "Tyee" (meaning "chief" in Chinook Jargon) during a Potlatch ceremony in 1975.  As an elder and master carver, he has played a pivotal role in revitalizing Coast Salish art traditions, which emphasize bold colors, contemporary interpretations of ancestral motifs, and functional pieces like house posts, welcoming figures, bowls, sculptures, and masks.  His work often draws from Squamish spiritual beliefs, crests, and stories, using materials like red cedar wood and acrylic paints to honor his heritage while protecting and welcoming in cultural contexts.

Joseph's masks are particularly significant in Coast Salish tradition, often representing spirit powers, animals, or guardians used in ceremonies, dances, or as protective symbols.  They are typically relief-carved (u-form style), painted, and inscribed with his signature, including "Tyee" and the date.  These pieces reflect the Salish Coast's emphasis on transformation, nature, and ancestral connections, differing from more northern Northwest Coast styles (e.g., Haida or Kwakwaka'wakw) by focusing on flattened, bold forms rather than elaborate 3D transformations.  His masks have been exhibited in solo shows, such as the 1990 "Tyee" exhibition at the Marion Scott Gallery in Vancouver, and are collected globally through auctions and galleries.