Chilkat Protector

Lily Hope, artist

Chilkat Protector, 2020

Material/technique: merino wool, ermine tails, tin cones; cedar bark

Credit line: Collection Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas

Accession number: EL2024.019

Not on display

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Covid-19 disproportionately affected Natives due to structural inequalities like access to healthcare. According to one CDC study, American Indians and Alaska Natives experienced Covid-19 at a rate 3.5 times higher than the white population. In the face of this increased risk, many Native artists explored ways to communicate physical and cultural resilience. These protective masks reflect the artists’ communities through style, materials, and symbolism while conveying community care as a collective value.