Frog Prints:

Curatorial Statement:

Among First Nations' artists in the Pacific Northwest, the Frog is a recurring figure in serigraph prints. From stories of food scarcity to lessons of spirituality, frogs are used to engage with a variety of historical, cultural, and environmental concerns. Both artistically and symbolically, there is much to explore in the depiction of frogs in printmaking and storytelling.

In other mediums, frogs have been similarly utilized to explore the above concerns. Whether in modest sculptures or towering house posts, the presence of frogs reveals that their place in Indigenous art is not limited to printmaking. Moreover, several recent environmental movements have also mobilized frogs in order to address endangerment and conservation. By bringing art and science together, these movements demonstrate the important role frogs can have in non-Indigenous contexts as well.

Overall, frogs have hopped into numerous mediums and movements, and this exhibition offers a glimpse into the imprints they continue to leave on humans and the world around us through art.

Territory Acknowledgement

This website was designed and developed at the University of Victoria. I acknowledge with respect the Lkwungen-speaking peoples on whose traditional territory the university stands, and the Songhees, Esquimalt and WSÁNEĆ peoples whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day.