Eighty years of shaping wood and argillite
OTTAWA, ON, Feb. 12, 2026 /CNW/ - From February 13 to July 26, 2026, the National Gallery of Canada (NGC) presents Women Carvers on the Northwest Coast, a landmark exhibition that shines a long-overdue spotlight on the Indigenous women artists of wood and argillite carving.
For decades, the global recognition of Northwest Coast carving has been predominantly focused on male artists. This exhibition shatters that lens, featuring close to 60 intricate works--including totem poles, masks, and ceremonial bowls--from 14 artists whose hands have shaped the Indigenous visual and cultural identity on the coast of British Columbia since the 1950s. The works are on loan from public and private collections across Canada and the United States.
Organized by the Audain Art Museum (AMM), the exhibition is a condensed version of its 2024–25 show Curve! Women Carvers on the Northwest Coast, co-curated by renowned artist and filmmaker Dana Claxton and Curtis Collins, PhD, Executive Director of the AAM. This exhibition marks a first-time presentation of an exhibition organized by the AAM at the NGC.
"We are thrilled to bring Women Carvers to Ottawa after its incredible success at the Audain Art Museum. Our collaboration with the AAM is more than a partnership--it's a bridge across the country. It enables our visitors to view extraordinary pieces that they might not otherwise have the opportunity to see," said Jean-François Bélisle, Director and CEO of the National Gallery of Canada. "This exhibition goes beyond a display of technical mastery. By showcasing these works at the Gallery, we are honouring the women who have kept traditional knowledge alive. These artists are not just carvers; they are the matriarchs and the keepers of the songs, dances, and ceremonies that give these objects their life."
"The Audain Art Museum is pleased to be presenting the work of these talented carvers at the National Gallery of Canada, as it offers visitors a new understanding of Indigenous art traditions on the Northwest Coast," said Curtis Collins, PhD, Executive Director of the Audain Art Museum.
A Legacy in Wood and Stone
The exhibition traces a lineage of women artists, beginning with the foundational contributions of three iconic figures: Ellen Neel (Kwakwaka'wakw), Freda Diesing (Haida), and Doreen Jensen (Gitxsan).
Their pioneering work paved the way for the featured celebrated artists --Susan Point (Musqueam Coast Salish), Dale Marie Campbell (Tahltan-Tlinget), and Marianne Nicolson (Kwakwaka'wakw)--as well as a vibrant new generation of carvers, including Marika Echachis Swan (Tla-o-qui-aht, Nuu-chah-nulth, Scottish and Irish descent), Morgan Asoyuf (Ts'msyen), Cori Savard (Haida), Stephanie Anderson (Wet'suwet'en), Veronica Waechter (Gitxsan/European settler descent), Arlene Ness (Gitxsan), Cherish Alexander (Gitxsan), and Melanie Russ (Haida), who continue to push the boundaries of the medium today.
The works on display include carvings from Ellen Neel (1916-1966), who was the first woman in what is now known as Canada to become recognized for carving totem poles professionally. Many of the artists draw from the rich stories passed down from their ancestors, evidenced in Dale Marie Campbell's mask Woman Who Brought the Salmon, 2021, made of alder and abalone shell, and Cori Savard's Xiilang (Thunderbird), 2021.
Wahsontiio Cross, Associate Curator, Indigenous Ways and Decolonization at the NGC, is the coordinating curator for the Ottawa presentation.
Women Carvers on the Northwest Coast is presented with the generous support of the National Gallery of Canada Foundation and the Audain Foundation.
To learn more about the work of these artists, read Dana Claxton's article in the NGC Magazine.
Opening Night Event
The exhibition officially opens to the public tonight at 6:30 p.m. EST with an intimate conversation featuring artist Dale Marie Campbell and curator Dana Claxton hosted by Wahsontiio Cross. For more details, visit gallery.ca.
About the National Gallery of Canada
Founded in 1880, the National Gallery of Canada is among the world's most respected art institutions. As a national museum, we exist to serve all Canadians, no matter where they live. We do this by sharing our collection, exhibitions and public programming widely. We create dynamic experiences that allow for new ways of seeing ourselves and each other through the visual arts, while centering Indigenous ways of knowing and being. Our mandate is to develop, preserve and present a collection for the learning and enjoyment of all--now and for generations to come. We are home to more than 90,000 works, including one of the finest collections of Indigenous and Canadian art, major works from the 14th to the 21st century and extensive library and archival holdings.
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SOURCE National Gallery of Canada
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