Tanis Maria S'eiltin (born 1951) is a Tlingit installation artist, painter, printmaker, and sculptor.[1]
S'eiltin was born into a family of artists. She learned from her mother, who weaved Chilkat robes and sewed skins into garments.[2] As a child, she often visited Tlingit relatives in Haines, Alaska.
She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Alaska Fairbanks in 1986. She then earned her Masters of Fine Arts in mixed media from the University of Arizona,[3] where she explored her unique aesthetic.[4]
S'eiltin is an associate professor and researcher of art and humanities at Fairhaven College.
S'eiltin uses classically indigenous materials in her art, including animal pelts and bones. Themes in S'eiltin's works include the impact of Western colonization, postmodernism, and statements of resistance and hope.
One of S'eiltin's works, Hit (House in Tlingit Language), is a 2007 mixed-media installation, including video components, that includes a replica M16 rifle suspended in a 55-gallon glass tank of oil and water.[5] The work demonstrates themes of colonialism and toxic masculinity. The work demonstrates parallels between the Angoon bombardment and the First Gulf War, while also bringing attention to stereotypes and of Indigenous and Muslim women.[6]
On her art, S'eiltin says "I strive to create art that is aesthetically beautiful and informative, the goal is to encourage dialogue and raise awareness."[4]
S'eiltin was a 2005 recipient of the Eiteljorg Fellowship.[4]
S'eiltin's works are available in the following collections:
Her work has been exhibited in the following group shows and exhibitions: