Lyn Risling, Aachiphan (Center Man)
Lyn Risling
1950-
Yurok / Hupa
Date
2018
Medium Specific
Acrylic on canvas
Classification
Painting
Dimensions
40 x 30 in. (101.6 x 72.2 cm.)
Accession Number
2025.25.15.11
Credit
Museum Acquisition
Memo / Artist Statement
My paintings were inspired by this magnificent bird, but also by the ongoing efforts of the Yurok Tribe and others, to bring the California Condor back to the Tribe's ancestral territory. The condor has always been sacred to the Karuk, Yurok and Hupa tribes of northwestern California. He is an important part of our ongoing World Renewal ceremonies, in which his feathers are worn.
In “Aachiphan” Condor represents the lead singer in the “Jump Dance” World Renewal Ceremony. His song and feather reach toward the sky to bring forth prayers of healing, renewal and balance.
In “Aachiphan” Condor represents the lead singer in the “Jump Dance” World Renewal Ceremony. His song and feather reach toward the sky to bring forth prayers of healing, renewal and balance.
Biography
Lyn Risling is Karuk, Yurok and a member of the Hupa Tribe of Northwestern California. Risling received a Bachelor of Arts degree from UC Davis in 1973 and a Master of Arts from Humboldt State University in 1997. A prominent community member, Risling has dedicated herself to revitalization efforts of her people. She has shown her work in her local annual exhibition, From the Source, which has been sponsored by the Ink People and the United Indian Health Services in Eureka and Arcata, California. In 2004, she was a recipient of the First Peoples Fund's Community Spirit Award which honors a Native Artists whose works reflect a strong commitment to their communities and Native culture.
Her paintings reflect a worldview that comes from her tribal heritage by revealing glimpses into stories, ceremonies and other traditions. Risling’s artistic ability to integrate the concept of decolonization with the revitalization of traditional ways is balanced with a sense of renewal, balance, transformation and continuation. Her use of vibrant colors and tribal designs helps connect the physical and spiritual world, as well as the past and present. In a solo show at the C.N. Gorman Museum, she explored and addressed the re-surfacing of the One-Eleven tattooing practice by Klamath and the Salmon and Trinity River peoples. Risling is the daughter of activist, leader, and UC Davis emeritus professor of Native American Studies, the late David Risling. Currently, she teaches art and culture to Native youth, in addition to her participation in many community organizations and events.
Her paintings reflect a worldview that comes from her tribal heritage by revealing glimpses into stories, ceremonies and other traditions. Risling’s artistic ability to integrate the concept of decolonization with the revitalization of traditional ways is balanced with a sense of renewal, balance, transformation and continuation. Her use of vibrant colors and tribal designs helps connect the physical and spiritual world, as well as the past and present. In a solo show at the C.N. Gorman Museum, she explored and addressed the re-surfacing of the One-Eleven tattooing practice by Klamath and the Salmon and Trinity River peoples. Risling is the daughter of activist, leader, and UC Davis emeritus professor of Native American Studies, the late David Risling. Currently, she teaches art and culture to Native youth, in addition to her participation in many community organizations and events.