Fire Cracker Owl

Fire Cracker Owl, by Sean Gallagher, artist's website

Fire Cracker Owl, by Sean Gallagher, artist's website

Name/Title

Fire Cracker Owl

Entry/Object ID

2023.1.29

Description

Red cedar carved mask of an owl face, accented with white acrylic paint and lashing. The eyes have red border, and the mask's right eye has a black circle around the red. Firecrackers are embedded over the left eye and under the right cheek.

Type of Sculpture

Carving

Artwork Details

Medium

Wood, Acrylic

Made/Created

Artist Information

Artist

Sean Gallagher

Role

Carver

Date made

2019

Dimensions

Height

18 in

Width

11 in

Depth

1 in

Copyright

Copyright Holder

Sean Gallagher

Interpretative Labels

Label

Gallagher is a visual artist and traditional Native carver. Fire Cracker Owl reflects the explosive growth that is contributing to our climate crisis. Gallagher represents the hardships owls may experience as they navigate climate and migration pattern changes.

Label

This is a demonstration of the boom-or-bust population growth attributed to climate change in direct correlation with the lemming populations. This piece depicts owl populations as they experience hardships and changed migration patterns, even into Washington estuaries. It is important to understand the connection of current fuel systems and ecosystem wellbeing in support of Native leadership and wellbeing.