From Faith Brower at the Tacoma Arts Museum:
When I see Marvin Oliver’s Raven with Salmonberry it reminds me of the artist. Much like how Raven brought light to the world, Marvin carried with him histories and practices that made the world a better place. Marvin was a ray of light each time I saw him. Beaming with stories and ideas, I hoped we could have worked on a few projects together, but his untimely passing reminds me of the great work he achieved throughout his illustrious career.
Tacoma Art Museum acquired the Raven with Salmonberry sculpture in memory of the artist. It is an exceptional addition to the collection and it demonstrates not only the artist’s sculptural talents, but his use of bronze, which was not previously represented in the museum’s collection. Marvin is perhaps most well-known for his work in glass and printmaking both of which are found in TAM’s collection including Orca, a stunning seven-and-a-half-foot high glass whale fin that rises above a sea of steel waves; and the much smaller glass sculpture, Untitled is an amber-colored mask-like form with one face emerging from the mouth of another face.
Marvin created work that is meaningful and important. He draws from histories and practices that are often overlooked in most art history books. His work furthered the field of Native American art and fortunately he was also a teacher at the University of Washington where he was able to connect many people to both his work and the larger field of American Indian studies. He has several major art commissions in the Pacific Northwest including Spirit of Our Youth, a 26-foot high bronze whale fin from 1996 for King County Arts Commission in Seattle and Mystical Journey installation of a 12,000-pound glass and steel orca sculpture for the Children’s Hospital of Seattle.
