David Neel
David Neel is a Kwakiutl artist and author, whose career spans four decades. His work combines traditional values with contemporary techniques. Hed has just published his fourth book about First Nations culture. Born in 1960 in Vancouver, British Columbia, he descends from a renowned lineage of artists, including his grandmother Ellen Neel, Mungo Martin, and Charlie James.
Neel's writing bridges the gap between the First Nations traditional world and the modern era. He has spent a lifetime learning the traditional culture of his people, so he is able to bring ancient narratives to life with a modern voice.
David is a multi-media artist: a carver, jeweler, photographer and author. His writing and art explore themes of First Nations cultural continuity, identity, and resilience. His art has been exhibited internationally, and is included in numerous public collections.
David started his career as a professional photographer, before returning home after 25 years away, to follow in his family's footsteps and become a traditional Northwest Native artist.
He got his start by apprenticing with traditional carvers from his father's village of Alert Bay, BC. Then, with a Community Scholars grant from the Smithsonian Institution, he studied the works of his ancestors by visiting the archives of the great public collections of the world, including - London, England; Washington, DC; New York, NY, Seattle, WA; and Ottawa, ON, to name a few.
He is represented in numerous public collections, and he has had over 100 exhibitions in public institutions, including the National Museum of the American Indian and the Venice Biennale.
