SEATTLE.- The first major exhibition to explore the unique artistry and culture of Coast Salish First Peoples of Washington State and British Columbia, S’abadeb – The Gifts: Pacific Coast Salish Art and Artists, is on view at the Seattle Art Museum Oct. 24, 2008, through Jan. 11, 2009.

The exhibition, which was organized by the Seattle Art Museum, features more than 175 works of art from dozens of national and international collections—including 19th-century house posts, tools and eating utensils; 100-year-old spindle whorls; goat-horn jewelry; and woven blankets and clothing—that offer a glimpse into the daily and ceremonial lives of the 40 groups that make up the Coast Salish.

Curated by Barbara Brotherton, SAM curator of Native American Art, the exhibition presents many artworks that have never been on public view. In an extensive, two-year process, Salish First Nations consultants, museum staff and various humanities experts honed the themes, content and the presentation of these artworks. Native advisers and contemporary Salish artists provided unique perspectives on the meanings of the artworks and how those meanings have survived or been transformed over time.

The result, S’abadeb–The Gifts: Pacific Coast Salish Art and Artists, reveals the beauty and power of Coast Salish art and explores the concepts of property, status, trade, ancestors and family within Salish communities. Prehistoric, historic and contemporary works shown side-by-side emphasize the cultural exchanges that began in the late 18th century and the ongoing vitality of Salish art traditions. Dynamic multimedia presentations featured in the galleries bring the art to life, taking visitors into the territories and lives of Salish peoples.

The exhibition title, S’abadeb, is the Lushootseed term for “gifts” and invokes a principle at the heart of Salish culture: reciprocal gift-giving. A richly symbolic concept, s’abadeb expresses the sustained acts of giving of one’s time, resources and expertise during the course of everyday activities, during preparations and enactments of ceremonies, and within the private realm of religious rituals.

Further evidence of the exhibition’s importance is witnessed by a proclamation issued by Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, naming the exhibition’s opening day, Oct. 24, 2008, “Coast Salish Culture Day.” In his proclamation, Mayor Nickels states: “I herby urge citizens to join me in celebrating the Seattle Art Museum’s first major exhibition that explores the unique artistry of the Coast Salish First People.”

Following its presentation in Seattle, S’abadeb travels to the Royal British Columbia Museum, Victoria, BC (Nov. 20, 2009–March 8, 2010). The exhibition is accompanied by a fully illustrated, 300-page catalog published by the University of Washington Press, a leader in Native art books. The catalog reflects the most current issues and methodologies from a variety of perspectives and diverse voices and fills a noticeable gap in the explication of Salish art and aesthetics. Lavishly illustrated and researched, the catalogue is a pivotal book on Coast Salish art and will serve as a lasting reference for scholars and teachers, as well as for broader audiences.