Collections Spotlight with John Hagen

During the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown and through the reopening afterward, the Coe Center partnered with First American Art Magazine to present an interactive Zoom series in which Native artists discussed artworks in the Coe Collections. Collections Spotlight brought deep dives into objects from the Coe collection to the public from the artist’s perspective. These events were free and open to the public.

John Hagen is an Unangax̂, Iñupiaq, Irish and Danish curator, and an artist. He is currently working as the Curator of Indigenous Arts and Initiatives at the Anchorage Museum in Anchorage, Alaska. He is also a photographer originally from Haines, Alaska. The inspirations for his work are people and place, and interactions between the two. He has a BFA in New Media Arts from the Institute of American Indian Art, He was awarded Ramuson Foundation Individual Artist Awards for Photography in 2015 and 2019.

NA1312b – Hagen says these are fish decoys and that they were used to fly in circles in the water, bringing in other fish that could be speared. They are hand-carved and painted. Hagen notes piece of lead attached to the lure that would have helped it to sink and move around.

NA1312a – Similar carved fish with feathers as fins that, when moved in the water, would have made it appear alive. The holes cross the top of the fin, help it to balance out in the water.

Hagen thinks this piece may be made red cedar which is darker than yellow cedar. Bess shares that the eagle was once painted.

Hagen shares a fishing story that reminded him of the piece and discusses that halibut usually is found deeper in the ocean, so it would be uncommon to see an eagle eating halibut. Bess Murphy (Curator, Coe Center for the Arts) asks about the eyes and if the two eyes on topside of its head are realistic to the type of fish. Hagen explains that mature halibut do have two eyes on their topside.

Hagen also notes that there are ovoid Tlingit shapes in the design of the bird, like the beak and eyes. Hagen also notes the difference in weight as a way to determine the difference between red or yellow cedar.

Hagen says this is an ulu, likely used as a scraper due to its size, but that other sizes are used for cutting as well. The blade is slate and could be disposable as it would be used until needed to be replaced.

Hagen notes that similar ulus are used all over Alaska, Canada, and Greenland. The carving on the handle could be decorative or have meaning to the original user. John shares ulus of this size are also used during sewing. He also mentions that many contemporary ulus are made from tool steel, and a popular source of this steel is circular saw blades.

Full size fish wheels are used near the Yukon River and Copper River to catch salmon. The wheel, powered by the river, would turn and scoop fish swimming toward its direction. These tools are still in use to catch fish.

A viewer shared that the use of fish wheels started around the 19th century. Hagen says they mostly catch salmon and that the sizes can vary—he’s seen some as big as a truck. This build is likely a model for sale. Life versions have used a range of materials for the net, like fencing or chicken wire. The models could be sold to tourists, but they are not very common. Hagen says that where he is, they are used by Fish and Game to count the fish as they do not kill or harm the fish in the same way that other methods do.

Hagen describes that the center of this object is a Japanese glass fishing float which are sought out while beachcombing. Hagen points out that while basket weavers in Alaska often weave around bottles, he had not seen a basket created around a fishing float before.