Double Negative

Description

‘Double Negative’ by Robert Davidson – First Nations Northwest Coast Haida Artist presented by DaVic Gallery of Native Canadian Arts.

Condition:    Very Good condition – Professionally restored for multiple creases and paper handling marks. Small ½” paper tear left margin of the paper.

Description by Artist:    All I remember is when I did that, I did the red first and then I did the overlay, and i said, “Ah, I goofed.”  But I carried on doing it anyway, because I felt really sick about it, having put so much work into it and it didn’t work.  But after I set it aside for a few days, i got excited about it. I had no idea what i would do.  All I knew was that I waned to do a double negative. This came from my prints, the overlay, and this came from other paintings where I did some ghosting, so the title is Double Negative, because they’re both negatives. – Robert Davidson, interview with Ian Thom. November 1992.

Notes from DaVic Gallery:  Robert Davidson first introduces the concept of the negative formline image with Raven-Finned Killerwhale Drum, and this is further reflected in Double Negative.

The blank sheet of letter-size (8.5” x 11”) paper covering part of the image in the last picture is for size reference.