Fish Clan

Description

‘Fish Clan’ by Frank Polson – Original First Nations Woodland Art painting presented by DaVic Gallery of Native Canadian Arts

Condition:       No condition to report.

Description by Artist:     “Fish was a reliable source of food for the Anishinaabe people who survived on hunting, fishing and gathering. In the clan system, fish represent the wise people, the ones who settle arguments between leaders.” – Frank Polson

Notes from DaVic Gallery:    Depending on the geography of nations, each nation would have had differences in their clans. For example, the Crane Clan may have been represented as the Heron Clan. Looking deeper into the oral histories of Elders, many clans also developed sub-clans as communities grew and dispersed. The Marten Clan gave rise to the Otter and Beaver Clans, while the Fish Clan gave rise to the Sucker and Turtle Clans. If a clan is not specifically listed in these teachings, it may be part of or descended from one of the original seven clans.

The Fish watch the sky and hold knowledge of the sun, stars, and moon. In this way, the Fish Clan are regarded as the philosophers and thinkers among the people, often serving as advisers to the Chief Clans.

DaVic Gallery considers Frank Polson’s works from this period to represent some of the artist’s most accomplished compositions, characterized by strong balance, confident linework, rich internal design, and a sophisticated use of negative space. These qualities, combined with the scale of the canvas and the increasing scarcity of comparable works, make this painting a particularly compelling example within the artist’s body of work.